Eventide Everlasting
by DulcetDreamer
Summary: A collection of oneshots about a calloused prince and the dragon princess he fell in hopelessly love with. (Inspired by the Valentine's Writing Challengeby DeviantArt user British-Prophetess)
1. the element of surprise

AUTHOR'S NOTE: _Hi everyone! This is easily one of my most favorite ships of all time, and at this point I feel like I've read every Leo/Corrin fic out there ten times over. So, it was time for me to contribute with my own! I really hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed all of yours._

 _An important note: I understand that there is some interpretation on when exactly the Nohrian siblings knew that Corrin was not their blood-related sibling. For the sake of this story, every member of the Nohr family knows that Corrin is not from their bloodline, but choose to conceal this from her until Corrin discovers it as the events of the game take place :)_

the element of surprise  
time: in the northern fortress, before the events of conquest

Much to her greatest displeasure, Leo had become exceptionally busy as of late.

A dark and foreboding place, it was hard to make a home out of the Northern Fortress. The overcast days passed Corrin by with a forlorn feeling, filling her with a deep dreariness that she couldn't seem to shake. Her days were spent in dreaming, exploring worlds yet unknown to her from within flights of fancy. She longed to run the length of the wild fields, to feel the soft heads of wheat against her nimble bare feet, to watch the golden grains shine with their dewy coats beneath the light of the rising sun. She could only imagine how it must feel to dive into the green overgrowth of a meadow, a natural world bursting with life and splashes of color. To chase the occasional afternoon butterfly, feel the breeze as it glides against iridescent wings. She dreamt of these things, keeping them secret within her heart, lest her father discover her disobedience. She shuddered at the mere thought.

Her siblings ( _bless them_ ) knew of her loneliness in isolation, but perhaps no one knew it better than Leo. The two had a sort of unexplainable bond, special from the rest, that had existed for as long as they'd known each other. Perhaps it was a natural result in being the closest in age, or maybe it was something else, some sort of drawing power from deep within. She was radiant and wild and bursting at the seams with spirit unmatched; if she was the sun, then he, in contrast, was most surely the moon. He was intuitive, melancholic, and often times- although he might have trouble admitting it- deeply misunderstood.

She lived for the days when he would visit her in her prison, which he did quite often. She relished in his company. The moments they shared together were like the fresh air she so longed for, the faintest breath of a summer's wayward wind. He brought along easy smiles and effortless laughter with him- although it was sometimes at his expense. _"Curse this insipid collar," he snarled, realizing he had put it on inside-out for the five-thousandth time, Corrin laughing all the while…_

So his insistence on ignoring her these past few days was becoming downright irritating.

"Corrin," he sighed, the girl hot on his heels as he scurried off to the fortress' sizeable library. "I told you, mastering the Wilderwinds spell is of the utmost importance right now-"

"How can you master something you've never successfully cast?" she jested, a smirk growing on her lips. He gave a halfhearted eye roll in response.

"Which is exactly why I need the practice. I should have had this down ages ago...if I can just figure out why I can't get it to work..."

"That's why you should take a break," she beamed, "Clear the mind! Make time for some fun now and then. Just...take a fifteen minute walk with me, Leo. Catch me up on what the rest of the family is up to. It might give you that epiphany you're looking for."

"As nice as that sounds," he groaned, continuing to evade her attempts to slow down his pursuit, "I can't afford to do that right now. All the texts on the Wilderwinds are in _this_ library, and if I don't have it down before my match with Xander at the end of the week-"

"Then you'll get your butt kicked," she decided.

"Yes, then I'll get my b- **_hey!_** "

She laughed, snickering even more at his glowering reaction as they continued to pass through the hall.

"You know, Corrin, it would do you some good to brush up on your studies in the meantime."

"Oh? And what is that supposed to mean?"

"A wise king once said, _'A leader must never rest, never surrender, and most of all never stop learning.._ '"

Corrin mouthed the proverb as Leo recited it. If she'd heard it once, she'd heard it a thousand times.

"Yes, yes, with the _ye olde proverb_ again….but I hardly think that applies to me," she sighed. Her eyes glossed over her surroundings with dismay. "I'm no leader. I'm a girl who's stuck in a gloomy tower."

He stopped in his tracks. Slowly, and with the slightest bit of hesitancy, he placed a gentle hand to her shoulder and spoke.

"The day will come when you can leave this place," he promised. She met his eyes, surprised to see a spark of hopeful determination glinting from deep within. She hadn't expected the sudden shift to a serious mood. Perhaps, despite her cheerful attempts to disguise it, he _had_ sensed her loneliness, discerned her longing for the world beyond the barriers….

"I'm beginning to doubt that," she replied quietly, showing him a crestfallen smile.

He was silent for a moment, only staring at her with a curious expression, one that she couldn't quite place. In that moment, Corrin could only guess what sort of pressing dialog went on in his head, but from the look on his face she could imagine it was some kind of grievous resolve. She hoped he wouldn't talk to the others about this; she didn't need them worrying about her, too. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and gestured her onward.

"Come on," he said, "the library's waiting."

Groaning the whole way, she followed suit.

When it came to academic stamina, no one could match Leo. Corrin felt like it they'd been cooped up for days in dead silence, save for the sound of a page turning every so often and Leo's occasional frustrated mumbling. She had tried to read diligently- for the first hour or two. Her concentration had broken somewhere along the way, and she found herself having to reread a paragraph about the element of surprise three times over. A break, she decided, was most definitely in order.

She glanced over to Leo. His brows were furrowed in deep concentration as he scrawled something in the margins of the text. The feather tip of his quill pen danced maddeningly. There was no way he was leaving now. Once he was into something, there'd be no stopping him. She would have to move the heavens above and the earth below to get his attention now. Why, she could probably take her leave and he wouldn't even realize she was gone for another chapter or two…

The element of surprise….

Which gave her an excellent idea. A playful grin spread across her lips as she carefully slipped away.

True to her original thoughts, Leo did not notice her exit. Far from it, he had grown even more engrossed in the textbook before him. _Perfect_ , Corrin thought.

With great caution, she creeped her way to the nearest row of books, situated directly behind where Leo was sitting. The shelf towered high above the room, easily concealing the mischievous princess. She slunk to the floor, wrapping her legs beneath her to get into a comfortable position. It would take a some time to fully enact her plan. She drummed her fingers against her knees as she waited patiently.

 _Ten minutes….fifteen minutes...twenty minutes…._

Keeping the weighty silence was painful. Her legs were starting to cramp up, and if she got any hungrier, the impeding roar of her empty stomach would give her away. She reminded herself that the prank would be worth it, and resolved to see it through.

"...this is beyond frustrating," Leo spoke aloud suddenly. "None of these volumes address why my tome hasn't been functional. Niles claims he got it from a reliable merchant...I swear, Corrin, if I find out that he gave me a botched tome...Corrin?...Cooooorrin?"

Yes! Finally! He had noticed her absence! Now, she could put her plan into motion. Operation 'Scare Leo' was in full swing. Oh, how she wished the others could be here to watch. The surprised look on his face was going to be priceless. Quickly, she unraveled her arms from her atop her thighs and pushed her palms against the cold tiles, aiming to rise in haste and stalk him silently from behind. From behind her post, she could she his head scanning the room for her.

She found she couldn't rise as a sharp ache buzzed in her veins. Her legs would not respond.

 _What? No! Ah, come on! Not now!_

She bit down on her lip, growing very irritated with her current state. She shook her calves, poking and prodding with great urgency in a desperate effort to wake them up. As the sound of Leo's boots rapped against the floor, she knew her time was growing short. Pushing with all her might, she launched herself up from the floor in a glorious, last-ditch leap.

And, of course, landed on the floor in a glorious, last-ditch thud.

"Corrin? What on earth are you doing?"

She groaned face-down into the tile.

"...Just...hanging out, I suppose."

A baffled expression flashed across Leo's face.

"Well...how about you stand up and help me find something? I think I have a new lead on my problem-"

"Oh, stand up! What a brilliant idea, I hadn't thought of that! Thank you, Leo," she quipped, holding back a laugh.

"Honestly, you're so strange sometimes," he said, rolling his eyes as he extended a hand down. She placed her hand in his, gripping it tightly. Maybe a little too tight. Not realizing the bottom half of her body was asleep, Leo found he gravely underestimated the amount of strength it would take to pull her up. She merely flopped back, legs twitching as she sent him flying. A deafening yelp escaped his lips as he crashed against the shelf and plummeted to the floor, landing beside her.

She couldn't contain her laughter any longer. The peals of laughter were so strong that she was left gasping for air.

"H-hey!" His cheeks were pooling with blood, glowing a vibrant red. "S-stop laughing at me!"

"I'm sorry," she said, taking in the sight of him. His hair was tousled in every which way, the disarrangement complementing the embarrassment apparent on his face. Her heart felt warm at his flustered state. "You should have seen your face! Your eyes were as big as Jakob's favorite tea saucers!"

She mimicked the expression he had made, pairing it with a mock yelp. She began to crack up again, much to his chagrin.

"Was this your plan all along?! To wrestle your poor brother to the ground?!"

"No," she shrugged, "Not originally. But all I truly needed was the element of surprise, and I suppose I got it."

Sensation beginning to spill back into her legs, she shuffled herself into a semi-upright position and pulled him up along with her.

" _'Make a sound in the east, then strike in the west.'_ See? I _have_ been brushing up on my studies," she beamed, reaching to further mess up his already disheveled locks. His cheeks blushed even darker as he gently swatted her hand away.

"Well, I retract my original statement," he said. He smoothed his hair back into a normal state. "If this is what you're going to put your newfound knowledge to use for, then you don't need to study any further."

"Oh, come on, fussy britches. Let's go find that book you were looking for."

"I thought I told you not to call me that."

"No, you told Camilla and Elise not to call you that. You never said anything about me!"

He in grumbled in frustration, Corrin laughing all the while. She couldn't keep the smile off her face for the entire rest of the day. And, in the moments when he didn't think she was looking, she could have sworn that he was smiling back, too.


	2. mutual feelings

mutual feelings

time: a short while after conquest's chapter 14, "voice of paradise"

As he spun and twisted them with an absent mind, the shine of Leo's golden cuff links reflected upon the dark waves.

He was dressed to the nines. Today was a special occasion, after all. The Nohrian siblings had arranged to make a trip to Nestra in order to celebrate Elise's birthday. Tonight, they would be seeing a show in the opulent Cyrknesia Opera House, a breathtaking aquatic theatre that was home to some of the best talent in all the realms.

"...and that's when I apprehended the wretched thief with my legendary finishing move, the _Supreme Seal of Phoenix Ashes_!"

"Oh my," Camilla replied, doing her best to conceal an outburst of snickering.

Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes. Of course Odin would have found a way to sneak along- _and_ bring Niles with him. He was thankful for his retainers, of course; they were an eccentric gang, but one he did hold in high regard. Not that he was going to let anyone else become aware of that fact.

" _Supreme Seal of Phoenix Ashes_ , huh?" Corrin smiled next to him, having had eavesdropped in on the conversation herself. "That sounds pretty extravagant. You didn't happen to teach it to him, did you?"

"I did no such thing. As far as I'm concerned, a technique like that doesn't even exist."

"Well, you have to admit, he's quite the creative character."

"Is that what we're calling it now?"

"Oh, stop," Corrin laughed, giving his shoulder a gentle, playful push. "You know you love Odin just as much as the rest of us."

"Sure, sure," he said, rolling his eyes once more. He stared out across the amply-sized theatre, which was quickly filling up with patrons.

It was enormously difficult to concentrate and make substantial conversation with Corrin, looking as lovely as she did. He rarely had the opportunity to see her in silk and chiffon- not that he thought her regular attire was unappealing in the slightest. There was just something about being in rich shades of dark plum and gold that made her glow.

He was lucky enough somehow to secure the seat next to her for himself. That was a first.

 _I must have the devil's own luck._

"You seem a little...distracted tonight, Leo. Pray tell, what's on your mind?" She asked him with warm concern.

 _The fact that you have curves for miles in that dress, bless whoever made it._

"Nothing much. I only just realized that this will be your first show at Cyrkensia. The last one didn't count, of course."

She shook her head, narrowing her eyes in displeasure at the memory.

"I hope all goes well this time," she said, "I'm really looking forward to it."

"Oh, believe me, it won't disappoint," he smiled. "I still haven't forgotten the first time Father took me to see a show."

"Well, if it managed to impress the great Leo, I can't even fathom how fascinated I'll be," she grinned. "It really was a shame that last time had to derail into complete chaos…"

"It was a horrible night," he agreed. The battle against the Hoshidan fiends had been lengthy and exhausting, especially having to brawl atop the theatre aisles and gondola-style seats. Of all the places to engage in combat, a water-filled Opera House is not a fantastic choice.

"Well, I wouldn't say it was _horrible_. I actually have one very fond memory from that night."

"Oh?" That surprised him.

"We were reunited," she smiled. "You had finally finished aiding Father in his missions, so you were able to join us. I had missed you a lot, you know."

Her eyes were soft and full of sincerity. He hadn't expected her to say anything of the sort, and he felt deeply embarrassed at the sudden revelation. He silently cursed his cheeks, which were quickly pooling with shades of deep red.

"I-I can't believe you remembered that," was the only thing he could think to spew out his mouth.

Before she had a chance to reply, a great commotion interpreted her.

"Hey! You guys, look! They're selling Nestrian Honey Cakes! Up there, in the concessions," Elise exclaimed with great excitement. "Come on, we **_have_** to go get some."

"But darling, you've already had at least four slices of birthday cake today," Camilla laughed.

"Last I checked, _I'm_ the birthday girl," Elise remarked with a wink, "And birthday girls call the shots. So, off we go!"

She rose to her feet, running over to Xander's seat, where he was engaged in conversation with Niles. She took him by the hand and pulled him.

"Come on," she beckoned to him, "I need more hands to help carry all the sweet honey goodness."

Camilla let out a hearty chuckle.

"Do you think you'll have enough help with just Xander? You're going to need to bring at least three of those cakes back for me."

"Oh! You're so right, big sister," Elise nodded. "We're gonna have to call in back up." She pulled Odin up by the hand as well, and gestured to where Corrin was seated.

"Corrin, you come, too! You have got to try these things, they are just divine! They're like a fluffy little piece of heaven, but in your mouth."

Corrin smoothed the creases out of her ballgown out as she stood, gathering the fabric in her hands so as not to trip over it as she followed.

"Okay, coming! Wait for me, Elise-"

She trailed after them, leaving the clicks and clacks of her stilettos behind her. A strange sight indeed, Leo thought, as the girl was almost never seen with any kind of footwear on. He couldn't help but imagine that it would be a miracle if she could make it all the way up there without tripping as he watched her chase after his elated little sister and her newly-acquired Honey Cake minions...really, who thought it was a good idea to let Corrin wear heels, for goodness' sakes…

"Could you make your lovesick yearning a little more obvious, brother?" Camilla jested, a wide, wicked grin plastered on her face.

"W-what?! Camilla, what are you saying-"

"Aw, look," Niles joined in on the teasing, "Our poor prince is as red as the tomatoes he loves so well. Poor thing."

"N-Niles, I suggest you shut your mouth before you find yourself out of work-"

"Don't bother threatening to pull that card, sweetie. Even if you followed through, I'll just hire him as soon as you let him go."

Leo buried his face in his hands in a desperate attempt to hide his burning cheeks, although this only seemed to add fuel to the flames of his teasing torment.

"Ugh! You two are insufferable enough on your own, but together…."

"We're positively unbearable," Camilla finished his sentence. "Oh, and positively correct, too."

Before Leo had a chance to retort, Niles answered in a reassuring tone.

"Look, my lord, we're only trying to help. Watching you fawn all over Lady Corrin is painful."

"I fully anticipate Camilla shoving her nose in my business, but why on earth do you care, Niles?"

"Haven't we been over this before? I live to serve, and you've given me a purpose in this world. The least I can do in repaying my debts is helping you cozy up to little miss dragoncheeks."

"Do me a favor and never refer to Corrin as that ever again."

"You got it, fussy britches."

"For crying out loud, would you people stop calling me that?!"

Camilla took a seat to Leo's right, with Niles sitting down on his left. The timing and tonal shift of such an action had Leo wondering if they had planned this prior to tonight. He would be more surprised if they hadn't, at this point. He sighed. Figuring it was too late to deny the truth, he opened up on the matter.

"I don't think pursuing my affections would be wise," he gave a crestfallen look to his shoes. "I'm going to do the exact same thing I've always done: I'm not going to let her know."

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Leo had been mulling over these feelings for quite some time. As long as he had known about Corrin's secret, he had fostered this devotion in his heart, and his older sister Camilla was no fool. She had seen the way Leo watched Corrin with such admiration and suspected as much, but in light of the situation had never taken the initiative to say anything about it.

However, upon Corrin learning of her true lineage, it seems that Leo could no longer bury his affections beneath the surface, pretending that they did not exist. The seed of fondness had breached past the layer of his consciousness, turning to full blown adoration and bursting into bloom at even the slightest possibility that Corrin could reciprocate his feelings. He could no longer control his infatuations with her. He was a goner.

"Things are different now. You know that, and she _certainly_ knows that," Camilla encouraged. "Quite a bit of time has passed since she learned the truth, you know."

"And I also know that I could very well destroy everything if I'm not careful. You say things are different now, but I can only imagine how 'different' they possibly could be for her. After all, for years she saw me as a family member...all the while, I was hiding these feelings. She'd think I'm disgusting, Camilla. From her perspective, surely it's...it's not an ideal, normal situation."

"Leo, just like the just of us, Corrin's brief childhood was nothing even close to resembling _normal_. The years she lived in the Fortress, all the while, unable to remember anything about her previous life...surely, the thought that something was amiss had to have crossed her mind at some point."

"Whether it did or it didn't," Leo began, "it doesn't matter. The point is that placing the burden of knowing this upon her shoulders is unreasonable."

"Don't speak for Lady Corrin," Niles interjected. "You know she hates when others try to decide her fate for her."

"I would have to agree," Camilla added. "You can't possibly know what is going through her head. Leave _her_ feelings up to _her_."

Giving her little brother a loving pat on the head, she wore a tender smile.

"Take a lesson from your retainer's book for once and err on the side of boldness. I think you may end up being surprised."

"She's right, you know," Niles said, a devilish . "A little bit of bravery, a dash of courage, and I'm sure you'll have a wyvern of a wife before you know it."

"I could slap you," Leo frowned. "But...thank you. I suppose."

"We're here for you," Niles assured him, Camilla nodding her head in agreement as they returned to their original seats.

The conversation on the matter was abruptly cut short at the return of the Nestrian Honey Cake retrieval party, just in time for the show to begin. Elise had bought far more than any of them could possibly eat (although she would definitely try).

"Leo! Have you had one of these before?!" Corrin returned to her place beside him. Her mouth was full of the fluffy sweetcakes, her lips smeared with honey. "These things are incredible!"

"I have," he smiled at the sight of Corrin enjoying herself so thoroughly. "Nice, isn't it? Although they're perhaps a little too sugary for my tastes."

"Heretic!" Corrin scoffed in mock offense.

"Fine, fine. Give me one of those, you goofball," he said, biting off a warm flake as the theatre lights began to dim.

That night, not unlike most nights, Leo found himself lost in a sea of thought. He kept reliving the conversation from earlier, trying to find some sort of solace in it. The words of his eldest sister resounded in his head: _"Take a lesson from your retainer's book for once and err on the side of boldness. I think you may end up being surprised."_

The humiliating discussion wasn't the only thing he was reminiscing on. He recalled Corrin's face alight with joy as the spectacles on stage wowed her. He had barely seen the show himself, instead focusing on Corrin's amusing reactions out of his peripheral vision for most of the production's duration. However, he was not the only one guilty of this; the rest of his siblings couldn't help but find great entertainment in her behavior as well.

His thoughts were clouded with that memory, the image of a starstruck Corrin with the dazzling stage lights sparkling in her eyes, her mouth covered in confectionery sugar and breath sweet with honey...it was well worth the trip.

Minutes ticked by, turning into uneasy hours lost to restlessness. At this rate, he wouldn't be getting any sleep at all. Hastily, he made his way outside, hoping that some fresh night air would work its magic on his fidgety state.

The midnight breeze was unseasonably chilly. Leo found himself pulling at his tunic, shielding the exposed patches of his skin from the breath of the night. Aside from the gentle rustle of leaves, the Astral Plane was quiet. It seemed that no one else was out tonight.

The wind picked up a little more as he approached the lakeside. The waters were lit beautifully beneath a pale moon, dowsing the world beneath in a silvery glow. Perhaps, had it not, Leo wouldn't have been able to see the outline of his beloved, wavering and wobbling about.

When he saw her, he froze. She was so absorbed in...well, _whatever_ exactly she was doing that she didn't even notice Leo's approach. She moved in clumsy staggers and hesitant steps, face suspended with a look of intense concentration. The sight was so strange that it took him a minute to register that her awkward series of bulky, clumsy movements was supposed to resemble something like dancing.

"Corrin?"

Silver locks of hair went flying as she whipped her head around. Eyes dilated and face stark with deep embarrassment, she located the source of the voice.

"What on earth are you doing?"

She ran her fingers through her hair, pushing the wayward strands out of her face. She groaned, greatly frustrated with being caught in the act.

"...Promise you won't tell anyone?"

He gave a solemn nod as he came closer.

"I was...I was trying to dance."

"You don't know how to dance?"

"Never learned," She said, giving a sheepish grin. "I've always had two left feet! It's particularly difficult for me to be graceful."

She stared down at her bare toes, bespeckled with the soot and grime that comes along with dancing in the the dirt.

"Perhaps wearing a proper pair of shoes once in awhile would help?"

"Absolutely not!"

He gave her a playful flick to the forehead as she gave an indignant pout (which quickly transformed to a bout of giggling).

Beneath the light of the moon, the words that had robbed him of slumber and solstice had returned to haunt him once more.

 _"...err on the side of boldness."_

Mustering up as much confidence as he could, he took her hands in his and slipped them into a waltz position. Her eyes flashed up to his, shooting him a bewildered look. Crimson irises were wide and frightened with a new vulnerability.

"Don't I always say a person is never too old to learn something new?"

"Leo, I don't think-"

"I don't see why dancing should be any different."

In a swift motion, he pulled her closer. She was close enough to feel the warmth radiating from his chest. She was tensed, teeming with great amounts of nervous energy that seemed to rival Leo's own, although he struggled to decipher whether or not this was a good or bad sign.

"Just let me lead," he murmured.

He began to usher them around, rocking her into a gentle sway. While she was something akin to a nervous wreck, the motions were like second nature to him. He was a prince, after all. Dancing was all part and parcel of the royal experience. Before long, the two had broken into an easy choreography.

"I'm...actually having a lot of fun. I never knew you were such a good dancer, though I should have expected as much."

"Because I'm _so_ brilliant at everything?"

 _ **"No!"**_ She briefly paused the dance to gave him a light tap to the shins with her foot. He gave a satisfied laugh in response.

"I mean, with all the balls and galas you must have attended, being a prince and all...that's why."

The pair was silent for a moment as they spun onward. He could have sworn the mood had taken a shift towards the melancholy, but he couldn't place why.

"You know…on those nights, when I was locked up in the Fortress, I imagined what it would have been like...to be there with you all."

He remained quiet, letting her continue.

"And I couldn't help but think of all the fun you must have been having...dancing all night, stuffing your face with food….all I ever wanted was to be there."

The revelation rendered him speechless. Her voice was so tight with an enduring sadness that it pained him to hear it. How could he have possibly been so stupid to not have seen where this was going? To have been so ignorant? He racked the situation over in his brain, desperately searching for the right words to say.

She must have misinterpreted his silence as disapproval, as she nervously continued.

"I mean, I know now why I was never allowed to come along. But, I didn't then, and I guess being excluded...just, well...even though I didn't have any right to feel that way, it just...hurt?"

He stopped abruptly, clutching her tight.

"I'm so sorry," he said. "Corrin, if I would have had even the slightest idea you felt that way back then-"

"Don't be sorry, Leo. It's nothing you could have helped. Besides, I disguised it pretty well, so there's no way you could have known."

She attempted to give him reassuring smile, but the somber feelings beneath it only made him feel worse.

"Corrin," he said. "Those galas were so abysmally boring. I couldn't even fathom the thought that you could have possibly wanted to come along, because in my mind they were a special brand of torture."

"What? Really?"

"Yes, really. I promise," he reassured. "One year was so horrendously bad that Elise even resorted to hiding under a table and ended up falling asleep."

This earned a laugh from her.

"And when Camilla told us she was leaving to go find her, she herself disappeared for two hours. That's when we found both of them underneath the table, snoring together."

She laughed even harder, Leo smiling in success.

"And believe me, even though we didn't wish the torture of having to endure it, we still missed you greatly."

The expression on her face was beaming with genuine happiness.

"That means the world to me," she simply replied.

To his surprise, she suddenly started up their waltz once again- but this time, she took the lead.

The motions were gawky and the rhythm was slow, but Corrin managed to settle into a comfortable cadence. The pair waltzed together beneath the glow of the stars, the soft chirps of the occasional cricket and the breeze rustling through the trees as their ballad. Before Leo knew it, Corrin's head found its way to the crook of his neck, nesting in an easy nuzzle. He frantically prayed she wouldn't hear the sound of his heart hammering against his chest.

He could only guess how long they stayed this way. Was it minutes? Hours? It felt like only seconds before she cut their midnight gala short.

"Thank you," she said, gazing into his eyes. "For teaching me how to dance….and, for everything else."

She brushed her lips against his cheek in a soft, chaste kiss, leaving the faint smell of honey and sugar behind. He drew in a sharp gasp.

Before he even realized what had happened, nimble feet had taken her away into the night. She left him behind by the lakeside in the dead of night to stand in shock, hand pressed against the cheek where her the sweetness of her warmth had been just moments ago, clad in a night tunic and a lovestruck grin as wide as the moon above.

It was a pure gesture, something seemingly innocent and simple. But it was a start. He didn't know what was fated to happen next, but he did know one thing: he surely wouldn't be catching any sleep now.


	3. when you say my name

when you say my name

time: anytime, pre-relationship

Darkness fell early that evening, a tepid rain pitter-patting against the stable roof overhead. Corrin was thankful that the storm was mildly-mannered enough. She didn't want the poor horse to stress anymore than necessary. She carded her fingers through the creature's dark, coarse mane, proud to have finally freed it of all prior tangles and twists.

"Such beautiful hair you have," she praised, petting the horse's crest. "You're a good girl, Ally. Good horse!"

" _Alsviðr_ ," Leo corrected as he brushed through the tail. "Her name is Alsviðr- _not_ Ally."

"Why did you have to give this poor creature such a difficult to pronounce name?!"

" _Alls-veeth-ur_ ," he sounded out with an easy enunciation. "It's simple, Corrin."

"But 'Ally' is far simpler."

"Simpler _and_ lacking in all the decorum that should befit a war horse."

"Hey, the horse makes the name, not the other way around. She could be just as gallant as an 'Ally,' you know. Besides, I think the name is 'Ally' is plenty elegant enough."

Leo's steed was in the last stages of pregnancy now, her tender underbelly hanging heavy. The foal was due to arrive any day now, and Corrin was eager to help assist in the caretaking process. She had never before witnessed such an event and was determined to learn as much as possible before the foaling day came. She'd even exhausted most of the veterinary texts Leo had given her. Although she had some difficulty in understanding the complicated diagrams and complex walls of explanation, she did not fret, figuring that the real life experience would serve as the best lesson.

As though replying to their banter, Alsviðr gave a winded sigh. The black shire was growing tired.

"Hmm," Leo hummed. "Corrin, let's give her a rest. We can finish the rest of the grooming a bit later."

Corrin nodded, unhooking the lead rope from Alsviðr's tacking. The black shire slowly slunk to the stable floor, comfortably resting on her haunches. It didn't take long before the soothing sounds of the evening storm had lulled the mare to sleep, nuzzling her warm snout against the hay bedding beneath her. Corrin pressed her back to the wooden planks of the wall, sliding down onto the floor to join Alsviðr in relaxation. The barn was quiet in a rare but serene silence, save for the drizzle outside and the reticent, distant sounds of Leo returning and rearranging the grooming supplies. They couldn't have asked for a cozier night.

Alsviðr's dark pelt was velvety to Corrin's touch as she absentmindedly stroked the mare.

"So," she said, "Who gets to name the foal?"

"Since it's the foal of _my_ steed, the honor is reserved for me, of course."

"Oh? Really? How much dessert bribery did it take to get Elise to agree to that?" Corrin laughed.

Leo groaned, setting aside the last of the tools before coming over to join Corrin. He sat adjacently at Alsviðr's head and began to scratch behind the horse's ears.

"No desserts. Just because Elise's pony had to go and impregnate my steed does _not_ mean she gets naming rights," he sighed. "Honestly, had she kept the dumb thing pinned up properly, it would have never gotten loose in the first place and gone trifling about-"

"Then you never would have gotten an adorable little foal," Corrin finished. "Have you thought of any names yet?"

"I have," He hummed in response. "Depending on whether it's a filly or a colt."

Deep within slumber, the mare's glossy tail flickered and fluttered, rustling bits of hay around. Corrin watched the motion, wondering with great curiosity whether or not horses could dream. She had half a mind to ask Leo, before he continued with his list of potential names.

"I like 'Genevieve' and 'Sjöfn' if it's a filly, but I have the strangest feeling it'll be a colt for whatever reason, in which case I am quite fond of 'Dellingr,' 'Mjölnir,' and 'Ginnungagap-'"

"'Spooky,'" Corrin stated. "I like the name 'Spooky.'"

"I am _not_ naming the offspring of my loyal, fearsome warhorse 'Spooky.'"

"How about 'Maribelle' then?" she suggested. "That's a lovely name, isn't it?"

"Where did you pull that from?" he asked, genuinely curious.

She shrugged.

"I've always just liked it, really. It's one of my favorite names for girls. It's on _The List_ ," she beamed, playfully tapping the side of her temple.

"' _The List?'"_ he said, parroting the phrase in her silly tone. "Do you mean to say you have a mental list of names?"

"Doesn't everyone?"

Leo pondered this for a moment. His eyes glazed over the spacious pin, glancing at a loose plank in the door. He thought about the revelation, realizing that he, too, had _'A List'_ of his own.

"Just out of curiousity, then, if 'Maribelle' is your hypothetical favorite name for females...then what is your favorite male name?"

"Oh! That one's easy. It's 'Leo,' of course."

Her smile was beaming. There was not a single trace of sarcasm in her tone or jocularity on her face, and her crimson eyes were sparkling with a genuine gleam. Leo's heart must have skipped a beat- _no_ , two, maybe three- in his chest. He honestly hadn't expected her to reply like that, and the sweat beginning to form on his now balmy palms betrayed how caught off guard he was.

"What?" Corrin questioned his reaction.

"Y-you're just saying that," Leo huffed.

"No, I'm not! I swear! It really is my favorite name," She nodded to herself, satisfied. "My favorite name for my favorite person."

Leo cursed his furiously pounding heart. He desperately attempted to calm it, taking in steady, silent breaths. She couldn't hear how loud it was crashing against his ribcage, could she? He swore he could hear it. Heck, at this rate it was probably going to wake the horse up, too. Just when he thought he'd come close to composing himself, her grin grew wider. She hummed his name like a sacred chorus of beloved lyrics, a song he'd only heard in dreams…

" _Leo, Leo, Leo_ ….such a nice sound to it," she sighed. "Hey, if the foal's a boy, we should call it 'Leo Junior!"

"NO. We are most certainly not naming the horse something as insipidly ridiculous as _'Leo Junior.'"_

"Fine. Leo the Second, then."

"No."

"Leopold II of Nohr?"

"Absolutely not."

Corrin shrugged in defeat, furrowing her brows.

"Fine, suit yourself. But just know that if you don't come up with a name soon, the naming responsibility will fall on Elise's shoulders."

He couldn't help but shudder at that. Elise's pony, Duke Josif, was only named as such thanks to Xander intervening at the last moment. Had he not been able to influence their little sister, poor Duke Josif would have henceforth and forever been dubbed as 'Thunderpoot the Stinkiest.' Leo still often wondered how on earth she came up with something like that- _for her own pony, no less._

"Imagine," Corrin began with a devious grin, "The yearling of your prized mare, the proud successor of faithful ol' Alsviðr, touting a name like 'Booty Cough.'"

"Ugh. She WOULD name the poor thing 'Booty Cough,' wouldn't she?"

"And that is precisely why you should just hurry up and let me name it!"

"No, Corrin, we are not naming the horse after me and that is final."

"Fine. You should let me name it something _non-Leo_ related."

Between them, Alsviðr gave an uncomfortable flinch, sweat beginning to froth on her forehead. She was tremendously pregnant, and most likely tremendously distressed as a result. Leo imagined they wouldn't make it to the end of the week before she gave birth. He gently wiped away some of the sweat from her forehead, hoping to give the tired equine mother-to-be a little bit of comfort, even as she slept.

"...hey, Leo?"

"Yes?"

There was an abrupt, unusually awkward atmosphere. Corrin was teeming with a sort of nervous energy. Something akin to...embarrassment? She was suddenly very interested in her fingers, and how they could tweedle about each other. Leo took quick notice, wondering what she was about to say that could possibly render her so jittery.

"Just wondering, while we're on the topic of names….if you...had a kid, one day...what would you name it?"

"Hmmm...boy or girl?"

"Boy."

He gave the question some thought for a brief moment, finding that he already had the answer.

"Forrest."

Corrin gave a little cheep of surprise.

"Hm?"

"It's nice," she smiled, eyes soft. "I guess it's just not what I expected you to say."

"Well, naming a horse is entirely different than naming a son." He sat up, straightening his posture. "There's this sort of...duality to nature. It has the capability to be incredibly powerful, and irrepressible, and _strong._ But, at the same time, there's a very gentle, quiet sense of beauty in it."

"Like your tome, Brynhildr."

"Exactly like Brynhildr," he gave a soft smile at her parallel.

"I think it's a lovely name," she hummed approval.

"Even lovelier than 'Spooky?'" he teased.

"That's pushing it, mister."

The drizzle outside had not yet ceased, and showed no signs of stopping in the near future. Corrin leaned against the stable wall, listening to the sound. She thought of life and nature and dualities, of gentle showers and rushing rivers, and how it was possible for one person to fall so deeply in love with another.

"Hey, Leo...if 'Forrest' is your favorite name for a boy...then what's the best name for a girl?"

Without a beat he replied, with the coyest of winks," 'Corrin,' of course."

And he could have sworn, by no trick of the sounds of the storm or thunder above, that his heart was not the only one pounding.


	4. love reflecting in your eyes

love reflecting in your eyes

time: anytime, pre-relationship

Sparkling streaks of blue light refracted from the glassy crystal of Elise's staff as she cast her mending spell on her sister. The grassy plains were ablaze with fervent, friendly sparring and the lazy haze of the evening's last light, the world doused in orange glow.

It was Leo, Corrin, and Elise against Camilla and Xander, three-on-two- which was justified by Elise as "Xander counts as two soldiers, at the very _least_. Maybe even two point five."

The sound of steel meeting sparks struck through the air as Camilla parried her little brother's fiery blast. _Too close for comfort_ , she thought, feeling the heat burn against her cheeks. A blur of black and grey swung through the air at whirlwind speed as she quickly launched her axe's counterattack.

A mere few feet away, Xander clashed swords with Corrin. She struck again and again, gaining momentum with every lithe stroke.

"You'll need to be quicker than that to land a hit, little princess," Xander shouted.

She felt the beads of sweat rolling down her back in a torrential fall. Her hot breath rolled in wild waves of gasps and pants. He met her every strike with his blade, predicting her attack before even she herself seemed to know. The sharp clangs of metal grew faster, and faster, and faster still. Her feet danced in a quick motion, driving and pushing him away. Xander was truly a force to be reckoned with.

Growing impatient with Corrin on the offense, Xander reared his steed to advance. Even with Elise's timely bursts of healing following behind her, Corrin felt the exhaustion building in her bones. She wasn't prepared the oncoming onslaught of attacks in this state. She needed to make a move, **_now_** \- and the readjustment in position was going to give her the chance. Thighs clenched, brows furrowed, and back muscles taut, she rose to charge Xander near the flank, in his blind spot. A second felt like an hour as she braced herself to move in for the kill.

Until she heard Leo shout in alarm, head whipping around at breakneck speed to the source of the sound. He was fighting a losing battle.

At his scream, the transformation that ensued was instantaneous and instinctive. She threw the Yato to the ground and retrieved her dragonstone. An explosion of chaotic, blinding light shot from the rock. Corrin embraced the electricity rushing through her veins, launching into flight as Siegfried came crashing down, a mere second too late to clip her wings.

The rest of the Nohrian siblings froze, watching with wide eyes at Corrin's newfound fortitude.

She barrel-rolled into Camilla with furious velocity, a flash of silver knocking the Malig Knight from her mount with a deafening roar. The pair tore through the sky, Corrin driving Camilla downward as they made a crash landing. Camilla's sturdy armor took the brunt of the impact as she landed back-first against the ground. She was unharmed, thankfully, but very, very surprised. She was trapped underneath Corrin's enraged dragon form, held helplessly to the ground. When Corrin finally came to her senses, she was mortified.

"CAMILLA," Corrin shouted as she detransformed, the guilt of her actions realized. "I am so sorry, are you okay?! I don't know what came over me-"

Camilla, however, was unfazed by the attack- rather, she was incredibly entertained. Corrin's arms still held Camilla's wrists to the dirt, and the eldest sister was staring up with a smug grin.

"Oh, _I_ know what happened, my darling," she purred, voice oozing with ornery implications. A playful light danced in her amethyst irises as a blush crept across Corrin's cheeks. She released her sister from her grasp, jumping backwards and shaking her head violently.

" ** _Camilla!"_**

"No need to apologize. I shouldn't have been picking on your _boyfriend_ quite so much. A girl in love cannot help the instinct to protect her beloved, after all-"

 ** _"CAMILLA!"_**

"I couldn't be more proud," her wicked grin only stretched wider, "My little baby sister, all grown up and smitten to pieces-"

Panic flashed in Corrin's eyes as the rest of the family was speedily approaching the scene. Without even realizing it, she had flung a hand up to her older sister's mouth to cover it, desperately trying to conceal her revealing words.

"SHHH! Shh, shhh, shh, SHHH!"

A peal of deep laughter was muffled from behind Corrin's glove. The dismounted Xander was the first to catch up, Leo and Elise not far behind.

"Corrin," he announced, "That was reckless, dangerous, and very, very impulsive behavior. And I could not be more proud!"

He laughed, clapping Corrin on the shoulders (who was still glowing bright red).

"Xander, look, I don't know what came over me back there-" Corrin shot daggers at her older sister who was still seated on the ground, looking up at her with the naughtiest grin.

"Don't worry, little princess- If you're going to practice a move as chancy as that, Camilla is one of the few people who I approve of you trying it with. She has the strength to withstand it- right, Camilla?"

"Not a scratch on me," she affirmed, dusting her legs off as she stood. "That's right, sweetheart, you needn't feel guilty for roughhousing with me. I am more than capable of such a maneuver."

"Corrin, I can't believe it!" Elise burst. "That was so cool! The way you just, just zipped through the air like that! You were like...like a lightning bolt! You were all ' _NYOOOM_ ' and when you hit Camilla up there, it was like, it was like 'kaBOOOOM,' and then I'm pretty sure you broke the sound barrier when you drilled her into the ground-"

Corrin could hardly concentrate on Elise's glowing recap of the events with Leo staring at her the way he was. His eyes were massive, as wide as the rising moon. She wondered what he had thought about the whole thing, if he had thought anything at all about it; he was captive in a silent stupor.

"Ah, a maiden in love…"

"What?" Selena sneered. "What are you talking about?"

From a long ways afar, a trio of retainers sat, viewing the spar and ending spectacle with great amusement.

"Isn't it obvious?" Laslow brushed a lock of his bangs to the side, "Lady Corrin has deep feelings for Lord Leo."

"Ha! The only thing that's 'obvious' is how many brain cells you're missing. How hard did Odin hit you during training yesterday?"

"Oh man, it _was_ pretty hard-" Odin winced before being given an icy glare from his best friend.

"Maybe it is understandable that you can't see it, Selena. After all, I am a complete master in all matters related to the heart. Why, haven't you seen the love reflecting in her eyes? It's only a matter of time before Lady Corrin confesses her adoration-"

"You big idiot," Selena yelled. "There will be no such confession, because she has no feelings for him! You couldn't read a lady's emotions if your own life depended on it, you creep!"

"Uh, I don't know, Selena. I'm with Laslow on this one. I mean, yeah, Lady Corrin definitely masks her feelings better than Lord Leo, but I think everyone can still see it, " Odin hesitantly added.

"You're idiots. You're both idiots."

"Fine. If you're so confident about it, why don't we make a little wager?" Laslow gave a cocky smirk.

"A wager?" she scoffed at him.

"If we can prove the princess has feelings for Lord Leo, then you have to do our laundry for a week."

"And when I can prove she _doesn't_ , you'll do _my_ laundry. For a month."

"Deal."

"Deal!"

"Wait- Laslow, who said anything about 'we?' When did I get dragged into this?!" Odin cried.

Laslow laughed as they watched Selena stomp away, huffing all the while.

"Odin, my friend," he said, "This is going to be the easiest bet we've ever won."

" _Just play along_ ," Laslow whispered as the two proceeded to casually stroll through the barracks. _"Unless someone else comes along."_

 _"What will we do then?"_ Odin questioned.

 _"SHH,"_ Laslow elbowed him in the ribs as they, in the most casual way that they could muster, approached the sword racks. Laslow drew a cloth and a vial of oil from the supplies. He wiithdrew his blade from its scabbard and began to go through the motions. From out of the corner of his eye, he could see Corrin standing a few feet away. She was within easy earshot- and what great luck, too! She was all alone, a rare thing indeed. The shadows beneath her eyes seemed exhausted and lost as she was mesmerized in polishing her dragonstone. _Strange_. Laslow shrugged and tallied it up to fate participating in his plan. With a silent wink, he signalled for Odin to begin the conversation.

"Wow! I can't believe that townsgirl from last week is going to CONFESS TO YOU TOMORROW NIGHT!"

Laslow resisted the urge to bury his face in his palms. If this was Odin's version of being 'nonchalant,' he truly didn't want to experience any more of his acting skills.

 _Be thankful you weren't hired as a court jester, my friend_.

Laslow couldn't help but entertain the thought. Digressing, he continued the act.

"Yes! Surely, the poor maiden's heart has been broiling in the flames of passion for some time excruciating time now…"

"And I can't imagine how many INTENSE GIFTS and FRENZIED DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION I'll get TOMORROW, on my FAVORITE HOLIDAY!"

From his peripheral vision, Laslow saw Corrin pause. They had successfully piqued her interest.

 _Score!_

"I'm sorry for eavesdropping," Corrin said as she approached, taking the bait, "But did you say tomorrow's a holiday?"

"Lady Corrin," he flashed a most alluring smile, "Don't you know? It's an especially important day for girls."

"It's only the most critical of festivities to have ever been etched into the numeration of time itself!" Odin echoed.

"I don't remember any such day," her index finger brushed against her bottom lip in deep thought. "Is it a Nohrian tradition?"

"Oh, it's universal, I assure you. Every man from Mokushu to Notre Sagesse is eagerly awaiting tomorrow with baited breath."

"Well?" Corrin asked, eyes alit with excited impatience. "What is it?!"

Laslow slipped his hand to the back of his head, rubbing it in awkward circles in an attempt to feign embarrassment. "Well, it's just...it's just such a passionate, steamy, revered day...not many people have the vigor to discuss it among mixed company...especially since it's bad luck. But needn't you worry- even if I talk about it, my charms will surely counteract the misfortune," he gave a sly wink.

"Oh? It's a romantic holiday? Is it like Saint Valentine's Day?"

"Lady Corrin, it is not at all like Saint Valentine's Day! This day is much, much more significant. In fact, they say that passing up tomorrow is like cursing yourself to ten years romantic solitude."

"Goodness," Corrin gasped.

"It's called the 'Sacred Proclamation of All Hearts,' of course- and it will be the most heart-pounding, earth-shattering, soul-breaking holiday that was ever cast on a calendar," Odin exclaimed, causing Laslow to fight a laugh at such a grandiose title.

"The 'Sacred Proclamation of All Hearts,' huh? I mean, I know I've had a very unorthodox upbringing, but I swear that I've never heard of this before…"

"Well, that's quite understandable. In truth," Laslow cast a shady glance from side to side and lowered his voice, "It is very uncouth to talk about this day with others. No one is supposed to acknowledge the event publicly, _especially_ not with the members of the opposite sex. The ancient tradition says that doing so will bring you bad luck."

"Really?"

Odin nodded his head in furious agreement. "It's true, but seeing as how our most noble and honored princess needs education on this most sacred event, it is our duty to inform you. On the eve before the Sacred Proclamation of All Hearts, every woman prepares the fiery depths of her soul for the epic quest of love that ensues the following daybreak."

"What he means by that is, on this evening, ladies prepare a gift for the object of their affections and leave the present for their love in secret."

"They never reveal themselves? Why?"

"That's the true spirit of the Sacred Proclamation of All Hearts. It honors the...the, um...the ancient tradition of secret admirers."

"But why only women? It is for 'All Hearts,' yes?-"

"To ignite the flames of passion in a man's heart, to send him into a maddening spiral of lust as the desire to know whose affections he has captured completely devours his mind!" Odin interjected.

"It's a very important holiday, Lady Corrin," Laslow continued. "If a man doesn't receive a gift on True Hearts' Concession, it's a confirmation to him that no one harbors feelings for him. Basically, it gives him the signal to move on."

"Goodness," Corrin's hands flew up to her head, clutching at her aching temples. "I had no idea how serious this was! How was I supposed to know about this?! No one ever told me! Why wouldn't my siblings-"

"It's only your first year free from the Fortress, milady. It's understandable that only now should you learn of this most covert of holidays," Odin gave an understanding nod. "The Royal family was most likely trying to protect your innocent heart from the unyielding throws of passion for as long as they could."

The sun was setting quickly, and Corrin knew what she had to do, lest she be plagued with ten years of romantic solitude.

"Thank you so much for informing me!" she cried as she trotted away.

The two retainers watched her disappear from the barracks in a hurry before sharing in a victorious high-five.

"We've as good as won this one," Laslow beamed.

"I'll say! Selena's going to be furious come tomorrow morning."

But unbeknownst to the duo, they wouldn't need to wait for tomorrow to incite Selena's rage. Crouched on the dusty floor behind a section of weapon crates, concealed from the scene, Selena had heard the entire conversation. She'd had a feeling something like this would happen; this was far from the first bet she'd made with her childhood friends. In following them, she had expected half-baked plan of sorts to unfold, but nothing of this magnitude and _certainly_ not one that had the potential to be successful. Barely able to contain her anger, she swallowed hard and steadied her breath, lest she be discovered.

She was not about to go down without a fight.

"Pardon me, Miss Corrin, but...w-why are we doin' this?"

Mozu still wasn't quite sure how she had gotten roped into this; one moment, she was settling in for the evening; the next, a frazzled Corrin had arrived at her door, looking like a bedraggled mess and begging for her help. The poor thing seemed so distressed that Mozu couldn't even entertain the thought of saying no, whatever the quest may be. With no time to waste, she was ushered through the Astral Portal into a familiar place. Mozu immediately recognized it as the little village they'd saved from a Faceless invasion only a few weeks ago.

"Because...it's for... _you know_ ," Corrin responded. Mozu could have sworn there was a touch of bashfulness in her tone, but she hadn't the slightest clue why. Was she...was she _blushing?_

"Forgive me, but I'm afraid I don't know. What is it, pray tell?"

"Remember?! _Tomorrow_?"

Mozu gave a blank stare.

"The holiday," Corrin said abashedly. "It's..the one that's _uncouth_ to discuss in public…."

Mozu hadn't even a chance to reply before Corrin turned and continued towards the fields. Whatever this mission was for, Mozu figured it must have been of the utmost importance. They soon waded through a sea of rich red and lush green, the plants stretching their vines tall towards the skies above. Corrin fiddled with the wicker-work basket in her arms. The very last of the day's light was dwindling away, but beneath the setting twilight, the red hues dotting the quaint fields were still visible.

"We need to get as many tomatoes as we can," Corrin said.

Mozu eyed the bin in her commander's arms. Why on earth did she decide suddenly- at twilight, of all things- that she needed an entire bushel of tomatoes for? What was she going to do, make thirty gallons of tomato soup?

She handed the basket to Mozu and turned to the vine. Bare feet rolled to tip-toes as she reached up for a particularly handsome morsel, a tomato so bright, round, and red that it could pass for a decorative ornament. Hesitant, she eyed the produce with critical scrutiny. She gave the tomato a firm squeeze in her calloused hands, rotating it from all angles and analyzing every detail. When she leaned in for a sniff, that is when Mozu's patience had officially run dry.

"Here," she said, returning the basket back into Corrin's arms. "I'll pick."

The pace at which Mozu worked was staggering. Corrin struggled to keep up with the basket duty, tossing and tumbling as Mozu slung tomatoes left and right like a frightening produce harvesting machine. She instinctively knew which fruits were ripe, which were rotten, and which were worth passing up- seemingly all upon a glance. The basket soon felt heavy in Corrin's arms, and the princess found herself very, very impressed.

"How many are we allowed to take?" Mozu asked as she moved down the vineyard, working diligently.

"The farmers said we could have as many as we like- they said it was a show of gratitude for us saving their village."

Mozu's machine-like speed slowed as the night grew darker. It had become difficult to see, but with the basket about three-fourths of the way full, she could afford to dwindle her pace.

"We're almost there, Lady Corrin!"

"Thank you so much, Mozu, you have no idea how much help you've been to me tonight. I can't thank you enough."

"It's not a problem," Mozu replied. "After all, it's like you said before. We're practically family."

Corrin smiled, the kindness of Mozu's words warming her heart.

"And family doesn't keep secrets," Mozu continued, just as amicably before. "So tell me, why are we out here pickin' these tomatoes in the middle of the night?"

"Mozu, I thought I already told you-"

Mozu had long since realized that something strange was afoot. Asking directly wasn't prompting any helpful answers. Considering this, Mozu decided that if she wanted to get to the bottom of this, she was going to have to play along a little bit.

"...Yes, the holiday! That's right! Big day tomorrow, huh?"

"Yes, and to think, for all those years, I never even knew to celebrate it! I wonder if the ten years of romantic solitude is still in effect if I didn't even know about it…" Corrin paused suddenly, her demeanor growing incredibly guilty. "Oh Mozu, I am such a horrible person!"

"W-what?! What do you mean by that?"

"I dragged you all the way out here to help _me_ make preparations for the Sacred Proclamation of All Hearts, but what about you?! I've taken you away from _your_ preparations! Oh no, I'm-"

"Please, don't worry about me. I've...already made my, um, preparations. Practically days ago! So don't worry about this."

"Oh, Mozu. You're a saint," Corrin sighed.

In the dark, Corrin couldn't see Mozu's brows furrow in a tight scrunch. She'd never heard of any 'Sacred Proclamations of Whatnot' in all her years, and she'd been raised in a village so traditional that they'd celebrated every festival and gathering under the sun. From the Gala of the Pomegranate to the Sleepy Cat Celebration to the Annual Grandmother-Second Cousin Twice Removed Square Dance, she'd happily participated in them all. But she had _never_ heard of this.

"So," Mozu pried at the matter, eager to get to the bottom of this. "You said this is your first time celebrating? Who told you about tomorrow? Since it is an, u-um, inappropriate thing to discuss. Superstitions and all that…"

"Laslow and Odin," Corrin's voice hitched to a near whisper. "And thank goodness they did. To think, I was about to ruin my entire love life before it even had a chance to begin…"

Those horrible retainers, making up fake holidays! They were choosing to mess with Corrin now, were they? _Well,_ Mozu thought, _as soon as we get back, I'm going to give them a darn piece of my mind-_

A gust of wind nearly knocked Mozu off her feet, sending her capelet flapping wildly against the wind. A heavy downpour from descended on the pair, soaking and chilling them to the bone.

"Corrin!" Mozu shouted against the gale force winds, "What kind of flash storm is this?!"

"I don't know," she shouted back, clutching onto the basket for dear life, lest it fly away and spill the contents of their hard labor. "But we need to get out of here, _now!_ "

"NO," Mozu disagreed. "Not yet!"

Through the gale and the gust, Mozu kept on picking, running her hands along the dramatic sway of the vines in search for the last few fruits to complete their quest. Putting aside the earful she was going to give the retainer pair as soon as she got back, she wasn't about to let Corrin become the victim in whatever game they were playing.

From atop the fields, on the hills overlooking the farmland, a mage was concealed behind a series of lofty trees. She was busy crafting and casting a storm.

"I still don't know why you had to drag me along for this," Rhajat growled.

"Like you needed a reason to stalk Corrin."

"That doesn't answer my question."

Selena sneered in response, growing more frustrated by the second at having to resort to asking for a dark mage's help in the first place. At least she was easier to deal with than Odin. With a roll of her eyes, she jabbed a finger down at the tillage below.

"Just keep that storm going, alright? And don't ask any more questions. All I want is for them to leave, which should be any second now."

"...Afraid not. Look."

Selena could still see the glint of Corrin's armor gleam in the night shower. They were still going at it.

"Ugh! Can't you make it rain any harder?"

"I've practically casted a hurricane. They're holding on for dear life down there."

Selena rubbed her temples. It appeared as though she was too late to deter them from their tomato picking expedition and would have to resort to more desperate measures. Filled with dread, she slipped her mask over her head. Long red locks of scarlet hair were rolled and tucked into the hat.

"Keep at it," she ordered as she prepared to slip into the tempest. "I'm going to go take care of this myself."

"Whatever," Rhajat shrugged. "But make it fast. I've got other things to do."

Even from within the turmoil, they had managed to fill the now soaked wicker-basket to the brim.

Corrin's feet squished and slunk into the muddy ground, toes now caked in dirt and slop. It was difficult to run with the ground being so wet, but she comforted herself in the fact that they were almost there. Just a few more steps until they would reach the portal back to the Astral Plane, and all would be well-

"FACELESS," Mozu cried as the creature lunged from the darkness, swiping wildly at Corrin.

Mozu desperately wished she would have brought her lance, or at least _some_ sort of weapon. Luckily, Corrin had come prepared for a fight.

Mozu felt helpless as she was forced to watch from the side, the rain continuing to pelt everyone present. She pushed the drenched strands of her bangs to the side. Even under the cloak of the storm's darkness, it had become clear that this was _not_ a Faceless they were up against, but something sporting a rather elaborate disguise. Corrin fought tooth-and-nail, blade against blade, in a close altercation.

The 'Faceless' wasn't aiming for Corrin, though- not really. It seemed to be wanting what was behind Corrin: the basket of tomatoes. _What a ridiculous thing to do,_ Mozu mused.

A red gleam had tumbled down from the back of the beast. It danced and flitted and flickered in the air, flying maddeningly as the pair's battle continued. Mozu wondered why in the world the bandit would have a long, scarlet ribbon concealed beneath the mask. She took a closer look.

With a cry of outrage, Corrin's blade flew through the air as she slipped in the mud. Seizing the chance, the bandit advanced towards the basket. Corrin scrambled in the muck to recover, but time was running slim. Mozu knew what she had to do. She picked up the blade that had landed at her feet.

An upper slice through the air was all it took for the red strand to go flying. The bandit hadn't even noticed Mozu standing to the side, or perchance if they had, they'd severely underestimated her. _Teach you not to make that mistake again,_ Mozu smiled to herself.

The bandit's hands flew to the mask, panicking at the scarlet loss. Corrin, who had risen from her fall, swiped her sword once more and jumped right back into the fray.

As Corrin prepared to strike, the bandit made a run for it. They sped past the basket, leaving their objective entirely to instead take their leave. Along with their exit followed the storm, miraculously disappearing. Mozu wiped her muddy fingers against the soaking fabric of her tunic before pocketing the scarlet strands abandoned on the ground. She had a feeling there was yet another retainer that would be hearing from her before the night was over with.

"What a night," Corrin heaved as she recollected the basket. "We _really_ need to get out of here, before who knows what happens! I'm starting to believe in the bad luck superstition after all…"

"I wouldn't worry about the bad luck for too long," Mozu gave a little reassuring smile. "When the prince receives these tomatoes tomorrow morning, the joy he'll feel will be enough of a blessin' to heal whatever jinx you might have."

"Yeah, It'll be worth it, there's no- wait a second. W-what?! H-how..I...How did you…?!"

"Don't look so mortified," Mozu gave her a good-natured wink, pressing a gentle finger to her lips. "For what I lack in formal learning, I make up in...other understandings."

It was perhaps in this moment that Corrin decided that her baby-faced, fair-weathered friend may be the most formidable opponent of all...but if you can't trust Mozu, who can you trust?

"You...you won't tell anyone about my feelings, right?"

"Of course I won't. After all, we're family," Mozu wrapped the princess in a heartfelt hug. A shower of droplets flew every which way as a result, causing the two to laugh.

The midnight hour was approaching, and Laslow nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt the tiny hand tap his shoulder.

"Mozu! What are you doing out here so late?-"

"Don't play dumb with me," Mozu pressed her hands to her hips. "Explain why y'all are making up holidays and confusing the daylights out of our poor commander!"

"What? Are you accusing me of doing such a-"

For being the most gentle creature he had ever encountered, Mozu's glare could freeze a person's blood cold in their veins.

"Okay," he sighed. "Odin and I _did_ make up a fake holiday and lied to Corrin about it, but hear me out, it was for a good reason!"

"Which was?" Her foot tapped the stony pavement.

"True love!~ ...okay, okay, fine, just put that laddle away and don't smack me with it! Look, Odin and I made a bet with Selena to prove that Lady Corrin has feelings for Lord Leo. That's why."

"Which explains all the ruckus today," she hummed. She fished around her pocket, pulling out the evidence of the bandit skirmish from earlier. "Have any idea who this belongs to?"

"She tried to sabotage us?! That little-"

She dumped the hair into Laslow's hand, happy to rid herself of it.

"Now that you and Odin have had your fun, you'd better leave Lady Corrin out of your pranks," Mozu commanded as she walked away. "Because if it happens next time, I won't put this away again!" She pointed the ladle towards him in the most threatening fashion one can.

"Of course," Laslow nodded. "It won't."

"However," her tone softened. "I guess one thing good did come out of this whole mess."

"Which is?"

"It's about time those two get together."

And on this, they could agree.

The next morning, Leo awoke to the world's very first Sacred Proclamation of All Hearts gift.

Placed outside his door was a sight to behold; a basket, handle wrapped in a heather gray ribbon and filled to the brim with tomatoes of the ripest, sweetest, most vivid color. A small note was folded over and placed atop the fruit. He eagerly opened it.

 _"A little something sweet for someone even sweeter,"_ it read.

"Ha!" Niles laughed as he read over his shoulder. "Did someone really describe _you_ with the term 'sweet?' Now that's how I _know_ you have a secret admirer. You're about as sweet as a mouthful of lye."

"Niles," Leo startled. "When did you get in here?!"

"When you left the window open last night, of course."

Leo opened his mouth to shout something in protest, but Niles replied before he had a chance.

"Now that you have a secret admirer, _loverboy_ , you'll need extra protection. I mean, what if she's crazy? These tomatoes could be poisoned for all we know," he said as he selected a delectable-looking one from the top and took a bite without any hesitation.

"Mhmhph," he mumbled as the liquid ran down his chin, "Juicy."

"Ugh! Those are mine, you contemptible fool!" Leo grabbed the basket and clutched it against his chest, holding onto it for dear life. These were _his_ tomatoes.

For the entire rest of the day, a very happy prince could be seen devouring seemingly endless amounts of his favorite fruit in pure bliss, much to the confusion of everyone else in the camp- save for a select few individuals. It wouldn't take long before everyone else would realize what had happened. No speculation was needed on the matter of the identity of the secret admirer. After all, one look at the love reflecting in Corrin's eyes was all anyone needed to know.

And from the hot springs, a very disgruntled Selena (sans one twintail) was now faced with the prospect of not not one, not two, but _three_ loads of laundry. She scrubbed Mozu's filthy capelet against the washboard, the steam of the scathingly hot water making her skin flush.

"No worries about the hair thing," Rhajat said. "There's a spell for that...probably."

"Ugh. Go away, Rhajat! Leave me to my chores in peace! I don't need you to- where did you get that?"

Rhajat took another tender bite from her tomato and shrugged. "I stole it last night while you were playing Faceless with Corrin. Duh."

"If you're going to be here, at least help me with getting all this washed."

"How long before he figures out the gift's from her?" Rhajat pondered, completely ignoring the plea for help.

"Who cares? Get over here and help me."

"Maybe a week? A few days? He's sharp, so I'm leaning towards sooner…wanna make a bet?"

Luckily for Rhajat, she was a fast runner.


	5. wings of comfort

With a grimace, Leo pushed the bits of cabbage roll around in circles on his plate. The rhythmic sounds of his fork sweeping the sides of the ceramic was drowned out by his sibling's hearty banter.\

"What'sa matter, brother? Don't like your dinner?" Elise shoved another large bite into her mouth with immense satisfaction. Leo did a poor job of containing his disgust as a stray drop of drool trickled down her chin. "Azura's cooking is _delicious_!"

"I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat! You're at least ten times grumpier when you don't," she teased.

"I'll eat when I'm good and ready to," he scowled.

"Well, aren't you just a little ray of sunshine today?" interjected Camilla.

Leo wasn't in the mood for it. He continued to spiral his food into a well-dispersed, chopped up mess. It wasn't that the taste was bad- actually, far from it. Azura's cooking was nothing short of mouthwatering. On any ordinary day, he might have greeted the savoury meal with great enthusiasm, eagerly enjoying the fluffy grains of rice paired with succulent beef. But he really didn't have an appetite today.

"Where's our little princess run off to?" Xander questioned. He was already on his third helping. "It's not like her to miss lunch when Azura's on mess hall duty."

One could swear that Leo's fork would snap under his suffocating grip.

"Excuse me," he announced as he pushed his seat out, "I'm going for seconds."

As he walked away, he could hear Elise's curious whisperings to her elder sister, no doubt asking what had gotten into him. He felt Camilla's concerned glare boring into his back as he sulked away. He didn't care. Let her think what she may.

He wished he wasn't feeling so irritable, but he couldn't help it. It wasn't his fault that he was feeling so surly. The steely, sharp sound of his knife scraping against his plate as he discarded his old foodstuffs only made him more resentful, and he didn't bother with the aforementioned seconds. It had merely been an excuse to evade his family's onslaught of questions, and it seemed it had worked, as when he returned to the table he found that his siblings were very nearly finished with dinner. All the better for him to make an early escape.

"Ah, Leo. Are you free to accompany me after this? I need to brush up on tactics before the next war council, and I suppose a session with you would be most beneficial-"

"Sorry, darling," Camilla interrupted him. "But Leo and I already have plans for this evening."

Confusion washed over Leo as he furrowed his brow. The two of them hadn't made any plans, at least, not that he could remember. Surely, Camilla only wanted to meddle in his business as usual. Before he opened his mouth to protest, she flashed him a troubled gaze and effectively silenced him from challenging the notion. He was going to have to go along with whatever scenario she had contrived, or he would _never_ hear the end of it.

"Hey! That leaves you free to go ore mining with me after all!" Elise slapped the table with sudden invigoration.

"Wait, Elise, I have other things to-"

"If we hurry, we can make it back in time for Azura's lesson!"

"Azura's what now?"

"Well, I've been reading this really great book called _World Peace Through Song_. It's maybe the best book I've ever read. But since I'm no good at singing, Azura agreed to help me. I'm sure she'd be happy to teach you, too!"

"Elise, what on earth? We don't have time for such a- oh, come now. Don't give me those puppy dog eyes….fine."

The remaining two watched as Elise linked arms with her eldest brother and dragged him off into the horizon. Seeing his older brother being hauled off to hunt for gemstones and sing folks songs by his doll of a little sister was a sight that even the ill-tempered Leo had to smile at.

"That looks nice on you," Camilla mused. Despite her gentle attempt, Leo's smile fell to a frown once more.

"What business do you have with me, sister?"

"Leo, I'm just trying to figure out what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just a little cross today. That's all."

"Does this have something to do with Corrin being absent?"

"N-No!"

"It does, doesn't it? It absolutely does," Camilla remarked, satisfied in her observation.

"Why don't you just leave me to my own business?" Leo sighed. "Isn't there anyone else you can irritate today?"

"Where is she, Leo?"

He crossed his arms and sighed in defeat.

"She's with that ditzy imbecile of a knight. I think he's...trying to court her today. They're having a picnic in the small clearing in the forest, if you must know."

Camilla was surprised. She hadn't expected to receive the truth in such an expedient fashion from her ever-stubborn brother. She put herself through mental gymnastics as soon as she had seen his attitude when they had sat down for dinner, preparing herself to pry and meddle and busybody until she had enough pieces to complete the puzzle of his mood on her own. She had not expected him to be straightforward, as he had never been one to be forthright with his feelings in the past. Even though she was happy that he had confided in her, it was very unusual behavior and perhaps served as a warning sign of his current emotional state. If he was willing to indulge her, than he must have considered Silas to be a credible threat.

Although he may have presented a confident exterior, the prince was far more self-deprecating than anyone knew- anyone outside of his family, at least. For years, he had trained his body and mind with tireless effort, desiring nothing more than the admiration and praise of his family. Leo often found himself desperate for their attention.

Opening up to others did not come easy to him. How often had he been misunderstood? How many times would he mistaken as a cold, unfeeling person when nothing could be further from the truth? It only frustrated him to the point of making him withdraw more into his self, making matters worse.

 _What a horrible dichotomy_ , he had once realized, _to want solitude and love at the same time._

And just when he had finally become so _close_ to someone, finally feeling like he met someone that understood him deeply, and was steadfast in her efforts to figure him out when she didn't, he ran the risk of losing her forever. Just when he could have sworn she was beginning to return those feelings, _something_ had to complicate it. There was always a complication, wasn't there? The fear that she would one day leave, evaporate out of his life into thin, cold air, was a dark cloud, always looming in the back of his mind. No matter how smart he was, no matter how talented or promising or skilled he was, if she were to find someone who was like herself...noble and approachable and _warm_...could he still hope to compete? Could his heart even afford to try?

"My, my," Camilla finally spoke. The storm of maddening thoughts swirling around in his head briefly silenced. "This won't do at all."

With a gesture to follow her, she led them to her wyvern.

Camilla was a woman of action. Leo had learned from a young age how she operated; if someone hurt her family, her number one mission became eliminating the source of that pain. Talking it out could come later- or maybe not at all- as long as she took care of her loved ones. As such, Leo should have expected something like this was awaiting him.

The thick, untamed underbrush of the forest concealed them well. Camilla stroked a calming hand over the snout of her beastly pet, keeping it silent. From within the leafy hiding spot, they could see Corrin in the distance, sitting beneath a towering, handsome apple tree. Next to her on the blanket was none other than Silas. A few feet away from the pair rested a small, clear pool of water, no bigger than a pond.

"Why are we doing this?" Leo muttered.

"So they can't see us, brother dear. That would ruin the plan."

"No, that's obvious. I mean, why am I spending the afternoon in a bush with my sister and her war behemoth?"

"Oh, shush," Camilla replied. Neither of them need answer the question; in his heart, Leo already knew the answer. It warmed him to know his eldest sister cared so much about him- even if it was in a chaotic, destructive sort of way.

He watched the scene from afar, too far away to hear what they were talking about. He wished he knew. If he had to guess, he imagined Corrin's eyes were glossing over with thick boredom by now. Surely, there was no way a mind as feeble as Silas' could entertain a mind like Corrin's. How pathetic. _He_ was the one who deserved to be sitting beneath that tree.

Somehow, this envy was tinged with a deep sadness, and a strange twist of...guilt? He couldn't place why. What a strange mixture.

 _Best not to dwell on it…._

"You brought your tome, yes?" This was a less of a question and more of a confirmation; Camilla knew Leo scarcely left his legendary Brynhildr.

"Yes. Why?"

"Ready it," she ordered him as she brushed an amethyst lock of hair away from her cheek. Her fingers came to her earlobe, twisting and pulling at the jewelry within it. With a snap, she removed the ornate black earring and clutched it in her hand. It was a fashioned in a large teardrop shape; affixed to it were hundreds of tiny onyx crystals that sparkled and shined in a dazzling light.

Without any warning, Camilla flung the earring through the air with a frightening toss. It tore through wind and breeze until it reached the water with a tiny splash, like a pebble making ripples on the shore. The sound was modest enough that it wasn't detectable to the knight- but sensitive dragon ears were another matter.

They couldn't hear what conversation was had, but it was clear that Corrin's interest had been piqued and eventually stolen when she saw the shine. She stood and pranced towards the bright glow, captivated by the twinkling.

"What? Leo, don't look at me like that. She's a _dragon_. She likes shiny things. I should know. Juno here loves my jewelry, don't you baby? Yes, who is mama's precious little beastie?!"

Before Leo was able to gag at her sudden babytalk, Camilla turned to him and gave a sharp nod.

"What?"

"Now's your chance."

"My chance to…"

She gave a nod in the direction of the tree and the knight seated below it. He understood.

The pages of Brynhildr were flung open, seasoned hands hovering above the ancient texts. The archaic symbols began to glim their violet glow as the tome's owner began to charm the pages. His fingers quivered as the magic was cast, all of his concentration poured into the spell. With gravity his to manipulate, he directed a powerful shake to strike the tree.

A shower of apples plummeted down. Flashes of bright red and tart green were the last things Silas saw before receiving an endless series of bonks to the head. Corrin, who was formally captivated by the object in the water, turned just in time to see the knight be assaulted by produce. Even with the distance, Leo was still able to hear Silas' confused shouts, followed by Corrin's side-ripping laughter at his dismay.

He was so satisfied. It feel _good._ But it also felt so, so cheap.

"I cannot believe I'm this petty."

"I can," Camilla jeered back as she struggled to muffle her laughter. "Runs in the family."

 _So long as I don't make this into a habit,_ he made the silent resolution, _Then perhaps I can enjoy myself just this once…._

It was only a day later that Leo had learned that old habits, no matter how recent and fleeting they may be, die hard.

A stray soap bubble escaped from the basin and floated away. The sudsy water was still warm. Leo did his best to concentrate on the task at hand, but the scene outside the window beckoned him.

 _Ignore it. The sooner you finish, the better._

The more he thought about it, the harder the haggard washrag furiously brushed against the plates. At this rate, he would break another before his shift was over...why did he, of all people, have to do dishes anyway? He strongly felt that his voluntary time would be better spent in an area of his expertise, like cataloging the condition of all the army's tomes, or drafting up plans for the next march. When Corrin had announced that everyone would be serving their time in an annual rotation of mundane chores, he had been opposed. He argued that it would be more efficient to match people to specific jobs that suited them best and kept them at it constantly, but Corrin wouldn't hear anything of it.

"Even crown princes can benefit from washing dishes," she had smiled when he argued with her. "It makes one humble, and I don't believe there is any other quality so important as that!"

That was _so_ like her. Never one to look down on anyone, always eager to give others a fair chance. She possessed the rare ability to put aside all preconceived notions and truly learn a person through not what they said, but what they did. He had told her time and time again that royalty such as themselves couldn't afford to be so naive, and that snap judgement calls were a critical skill. And yet, her pureness of heart was one of the things about her he greatly admired.

From outside the tall, stony window, Leo could see her arms circling wildly as she engaged in an animated conversation with the were-man. The mutt adjacent to her was far too happy for simply cordial banter. Tufts of white and black flashed through the air as his tail wagged rapidly.

The washrag scrubbed faster.

The summer sun beat down, beams of sunlight soaking in the princess' unruly hair. She swept her fingers across her forehead to push a stray cluster of bangs out of the way. The corners of her eyes crinkled up as she sported a smile as genuine as the wag of his tail. Slowly, perhaps even subconsciously, he was moving closer to her throughout the course of the conversation, taking an inch here and a lean-forward there. _Overly affectionate dog._

Bubbly splashes were slung as the rag scrubbed faster still.

 _What are they talking about? Why is he so close? Why is Corrin so oblivious? Why does he think he can monopolize her time and hold her hostage in meaningless dialogue all day-_

A clattering sound rung out as the shattered remains of the clay bowl sunk to the bottom. Leo let out a sigh and cursed himself for such insolence. He fished the pieces out and discarded them.

Grabbing a new towel and one of the many freshly-washed plates, he took a break from washing duty to dry. The uncomfortable pruniness from having his fingers in the water too long was starting to set in anyway.

His feet began to take him away before his mind was cognizant of it. He paced as he spun the fabric around the rims of the plate. He mindlessly wandered and wandered until he found himself on the title of the mess hall's backporch, hands still caught in the drying motion.

"Just what are you doing out here, Leo? I thought you were on dishes duty today."

He hadn't expected Xander to meet him around the back, clad with a bag of trash in each hand. He deposited the garbage into the dumpster bin and joined his brother.

"I'm not sure," he replied in a hazy, distant stupor, gazing off into the distance where the chattering company still stood.

Xander followed his line of sight and let out a sigh. He searched for the words to say to his brother.

"I know it's difficult at times to watch our little princess find her place in this world, but I assure you, she won't forget about us."

For as aloof as he wanted to seem, Xander was infinitely more perceptive of his family than others gave him credit for. How irritating.

"Becoming a petty person wouldn't suit you," he gently continued, placing a firm hand on his little brother's arm.

The newfound broadness of his shoulders surprised Xander, and it dawned on him just how much time had passed since they were children. He wandered when exactly his little brother had grown quite so much. Although Leo was not so far apart in age from Xander, he had always had a smaller, slimmer frame (favoring his mother's genetics) but he couldn't deny that the lanky, unassuming little brother he once knew had grown into a bold, strapping young man. He felt a sweeping sense of bittersweet nostalgia at the realization.

"Wouldn't it?" Leo hummed. His dreamy haze was as thick and slow as the dry summer heat. "I think it would. But you know what I think is more unsuitable?"

"What?"

"How you're not going to protect her from all the undeserving wolves that prowl when she yet understands so little about the world around her."

The dark insinuation struck Xander off guard. Before he could reprimand Leo for the statement, he found it sinking deeper into his own insecurities. Was he truly looking out for Corrin's best interest by letting her take on so much responsibility at once? From being locked away from the rest of the world for years, with no company but her servants and siblings, to being forced to navigate the tumultuous trials of being a leader to so many? And as much as his brain knew that she would learn from the mistakes that would inevitably happen and grow from them, his heart urged him to play the role of protector and make certain that she would never have to feel that pain that had so afflicted the rest of his family.

"You've already lost her once, to the Hosidians. That she came back of her own accord was a stroke of luck. But...imagine if we lost her again…"

Xander was silent now. He could not find the words to impart upon Leo, nor upon himself.

"Here," Leo placed the plate in Xander's confused hands.

"What? Why are you giving me this?"

"Because if my pettiness has taught me anything, it's that some instincts cannot be repressed. And, as much as I hate to admit it, you've always had a stronger throwing arm than me."

He understood.

Xander swung the plate and sent it flying, swirling above the clouds like a disc with impeccable distance. After he had rendered it airborne, he silently took his leave, deeply struggling internally against the discourse with his brother.

Corrin was left to stand in utter bewilderment as the wolfskin chased after the whirling plate that had zipped past their heads, effectively rendering their conversation over.

As Leo returned, he was upset to find the pit of his stomach was filled with dread, and the action had brought him little contentment.

The trio shared devious expressions as they gathered around the butler's pushcart.

"It's simple, darlings. We just take the cart with us- we end the tea party and give him an attitude adjustment at the same time!"

"No, Camilla, I think we should just interrupt the entire thing- he can't force Corrin to bear his company if we're all present."

"You're both going about this wrong. My idea of using Brynhildr to our advantage to summon an earthquake and make him spill his tea all over his pantaloons is the best option."

Elise hadn't meant to walk in on such a scene. No one even noticed her enter. She watched her siblings, crowded around an ordinary snack cart, and listened briefly to their discussion of what sounded like calmly going about the start of another war. Her ears perked at the mention of Corrin's name and she made careful note of the setting sun outside- from there, she pieced together what was going on.

It wasn't uncommon for Corrin to individually meet with vital members of the militia in her room before the day's end. Elise had been invited countless times herself! Corrin had insisted the practice established bonds and strengthened relationships, and asserted that those such things would be crucial in raising the strongest army. Whomever she was meeting with this evening was apparently someone her siblings didn't like at all, and they were going to try to stop her!

Elise continued to listen, unnoticed, their backs turned away from her. She sat down her little basket, which was filled to the brim with earthen soil and colorful meadow flowers from the valley. She felt horrified at some of the wicked suggestions they were making, and she wondered what the mystery person could have done to have earned the unanimous wrath of her family. _Poor whoever it is!_

"Honestly, you two, leave this to me. By the time I'm done, he won't dare to even think of courting our darling Corrin ever again," Camilla sneered.

"If he doesn't run away with his metaphorical tail between his legs, then the whole mission was a failure," Leo bit back.

Xander shouted that the both of them should be quiet and give him time to formulate a truly embarrassing situation. The three of them bickered and spat and brawled with one another, each suggestion more nefarious than the last.

"Shame on you! Shame on _all_ of you!"

Three heads turned. They were shocked to see their baby sister standing there with her arms folded and violet eyes alight with uncommon rage.

"I am just shocked! And they say _I'm_ supposed to be the childish one in this family!"

Prideful smirks and sneers were slowly replaced with guilty, heavy expressions as Elise began her lament.

"Corrin can choose for herself whether or not she wants to court someone! That isn't for any of us to decide! You can't control big sister's life, no matter how much you want to. Didn't you think of _her_ feelings?!"

"Elise, we were only thinking of her feelings. We're just trying to protect her-"

But Elise wasn't having it. She cut off Xander with a huff.

"Protect her?! I don't think there's anybody so mean or scary in our ranks that she'd need _protecting_ from! And besides, Corrin is a strong person. I mean, once, I even watched her do twenty push ups. In. A. _Row._ And she is more than capable of turning down a suitor if she needs to!"

Something about his baby sister's words were magic to Leo. They were pure and palpable, and much like Elise, they were completely uninfluenced by anything other than what she knew was just and right in her heart. Her speech snapped away at Leo's conscience. He felt his stomach twist in knots, along with his heavy heart sinking depths. He hadn't been thinking of Corrin's feelings during any of his petty junctures; only his. The weight of this revelation felt massive on his shoulders.

Leo's voice was strained and thick with pained emotion.

"I... _we_ just don't want to lose her," he choked, eyes glaring at the floor in shame.

Elise understood. The tense expression on her face softened. Her eyes pooled with profound compassion.

"And we won't. Not now, not ever. When the Hoshidans took her from us, she came right back, didn't she? If an entire nation can't take our sister away, I really doubt that a potential lover or two could…"

Elise's eyes wandered off, deep in thought, as she searched for the final words to end her speech.

"She loves us, not because she has to, but...because she _chose_ us! And that kind of love is the strongest kind of all."

Camilla felt a sense of enormous pride washing over her. She stepped closer and ruffled the blonde bangs of her beloved kin with a sigh.

"For such a youthful thing, you're awfully astute, love."

"Surprises can come from all sorts of people," she gave an earnest smile.

"You're right, Elise," Xander gave a nod. "I can't believe we were going to be so immature as to sabotage Corrin like this. I suppose as long as Jakob never learns of our behavior, we can this behind us."

"HOLD UP."

The affectionate mood evaporated. Three pairs of eyes were wide as the girl's interjection echoed through the room.

"Did you say _Jakob_? You think _Jakob_ wants to cozy up to _my_ sister? The man who left me waiting with a chessboard for two and a half hours?! The man who agreed to play hide-and-seek with me, and then left me hiding underneath a dress rack in the Accessory shop for the entire evening?! _That Jakob?!"_

"Now Elise, remember all you just said-" Xander cautioned as he tried to calm the girl. Her expression had morphed into something incredibly sour, nostrils flared in disgust, mouth turned down into a deep grimace.

"IT WAS SWEATY IN THERE!" she raged, little fists balled tightly. Camilla couldn't contain her amused snort.

" _Move!_ "

Elise shoved them all aside, grabbing her basket and marching straight up to the tea kettle. She ripped the top off and took a fistful of dirt from her daisy collection, preparing to dump it inside and shake the concoction up.

"Elise," Xander fought to stop her, "Just wait a moment! Didn't we just agree that we were going to let Corrin make her own decisions?!"

"It seems you have your overprotective side, too, my dear," Camilla chuckled. "It does run in the family, after all."

Amidst the chaotic, comical turn of events, Leo did not smile.

Leo left the sounds of his family's chaotic episode behind him as he slipped out of the treehouse. Soon, the only sound he heard was that of his boots clanking against the thick, sturdy lumber of the stairs that spiraled around the great oak's trunk.

He wandered off into the setting sun, his feet taking him nowhere in particular. His mind was loud with a cacophony of angry thoughts- all directed at himself. How could he have been such a coward? Recalling the many times he acted like a craven wimp chasing everyone away from the shadows further humiliated him. His cheeks felt warm, alight from shame at this actions.

Elise's words echoed in his brain; the only positive voice in a sea of overwhelming negativity.

" _She loves us, not because she has to, but...because she chose us! And that kind of love is the strongest kind of all."_

Trying to force her into loving him by default was pathetic. He hadn't been just playing pranks or harmlessly exercising a smidgen of envy; he had been projecting his biggest insecurity onto others, demonizing them for no other reason than that they might take the most precious person in his life away from him. And they didn't deserve that. _She_ didn't deserve that.

She wasn't obligated to return his feelings, anyway. If he truly loved her ( _and oh, by all the stars in the heavens above, he did_ ), he should be thankful she even cared for him at all. Those feelings were still true, still valuable, made no less worthy by their platonic nature. Eventually, she would come to love someone else, and that horrible, bitter truth would have to be swallowed. Best he learn how to handle this hectic, tumultuous storm of emotions now before that day came…

He cursed himself. He knew how he _should_ feel, but he also faced what he _did_ feel, and those two things were in crisp conflict with each other. Never had he wrestled with anything so much in his entire life. To be guiltless, or to be selfish...what a horrible burden these feelings were! What a wretched, beautiful, gruesome, divine burden….

"Leo?"

Her voice was distorted and askew, a deep reverberation of what it normal was. He knew without even looking up to face her that she was in her dragon form.

 _I must have the devil's own luck,_ he thought with great sarcasm.

"Corrin."

"What's wrong?" The dragon craned her long, slender neck down to face him at eye level.

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Well, when I saw you walking over here, you just seemed so...so...sad. Like, something had hurt you."

"Me, _hurt_? The greatest genius of our day and age, the wielder of one of the legendary weapons crafted by the Rainbow Sage himself? _Me_?" he sarcastically quipped.

"You're such a goofball," Corrin laughed, bringing herself down on her haunches. "Yes, I'm asking if you're okay, _oh great one_!"

"I prefer 'Your Most Perfect Highness,' but I suppose that title will suffice."

He followed her lead and sat down as well, resting his back up against her warm, silvery scales. She curled him closer and he leaned back his head and closed his eyes, eager to rest his aching brain.

"You know, I'm not sure why I'm even surprised to run into you," she laughed. Her stomach rumbled with every sweet peal of laughter, vibrating against the prince resting against it. "You and I seem to have a habit of running into each other now and then at this hour."

""It's about the only time I can catch you without a thousand people flocking to your side."

"Well, not so much anymore," she gave a tired sigh. Leo waited a moment in the comfortable, soothing silence. His silence encouraged her to continue.

"People seem to be avoiding me nowadays- or, rather, taking off when I'm trying to engage with them. I haven't the slightest clue why."

If it was possible for his heart to sink any lower, it would have genuinely surprised him. Her words stabbed him, and the strain in her tone twisted the knife. This was all his fault. He knew what he had to do. Cowardice no more.

"I...I think I know why."

"What? You do?"

"Yeah."

He prayed she couldn't hear him take a nervous gulp (a futile wish, really, when you're in the company of a dragon).

"..."

"..."

"Well?!"

"...I'm sorry. This is just incredibly embarrassing for me."

"You don't need to be embarrassed, Leo! After all, it's just me," she gave a gentle, playful nudge with her head. He could hear the smile in her voice.

 _Clueless…._

"I...may or may not have been attempting to monopolize your time," he swallowed hard. That seemed like a good start.

"...Monopolize my time? What do you mean? I haven't even seen you these past few days!"

"Exactly. And I suppose that, against my better judgement, I just got a little...well, it made me sort of.…um...frustrated? Wait, no that's not quite the word..."

She was silent, and Leo could only imagine what she was mulling over in her head. He began to wonder if this was some sort of cosmic punishment, the entire heavens laughing down on his most shameful of moments. The wait for her response threatened to kill him as his cheeks burned.

"Oh, Leo…You don't have to chase anyone away to see me, silly. If you missed me, why didn't you just say so?"

"Do I really seem like the type of person could voice something like that easily?"

He almost jumped out of his skin when he felt the silky sinew of her wing engulf him, pulling him closer in a wrapped embrace.

"You shouldn't have to. I should take better notice of the people who are so important to me."

"Excuse you, I am _the_ most important," he teased, one eye open in a spoiled, mocking expression. He had meant it as a joke; a way to lighten the horribly uncomfortable atmosphere he desperately feared he had created.

"The most important," she agreed with warm sincerity. He didn't even try to reply. He was much too flustered for that. Instead, he simply buried himself further into her wings of comfort, basking in these giddy pleasures and wondering if he would ever be able to steady his pounding heart again.

But, with her around, he seriously doubted it.


	6. intimate knowledge

intimate knowledge

time: between the a-rank and s-rank support

As far as Corrin was convinced, this was an accursed language.

Her fingers traced the wretched diagrams across the page. They were dotted with splotchy ink scribbles and underlined boldy a few thousand times over. This was the only text she had on the language, and thusly she knew she ought to be careful with it- but half of those marks weren't even hers. It seems that the previous owners of the text had been just as perplexed as she was, and if the beaten spine and dog eared pages were anything to go by, the confusing tome had been passed around quite a lot in its time.

"There's not much on Guoshe," Kaze had explained when she had confronted him about it. "It's sort of a dying dialect, if you will."

Dying, but not completely dead. Of this, Corrin knew.

The color drained from her face as she remembered the previous week's events. She had arrived to a remote town, a tiny village isolated in a mountainous region. There had been reports of a pack of Faceless roaming eastward and Corrin was determined to aid the village in ridding the horrible beasts for good. She promptly gathered a few of her units and advanced to the land, eager to strike. Instead of providing swift offense, she found herself playing defense as the village's inhabitants carried out a strike of their own- _on her!_

 _"Stop! Please, we mean you no harm! We come in peace-"_

 _"Slochei. Xi'nei geis!"_

The blood coursing through her veins had frozen cold. They were hurling words at her, bizarre-sounding commands in a tongue so foreign and strange that Corrin was sure she had _never_ heard it before, not even once in her life. She had known that this region of the continent had secluded themselves away for some time, but she had assumed that they would speak Hoshidan. Considering their proximity to the nation, that was a given.

She hadn't even thought about a complication like this. Her heart fell as she scanned the dirty, tired, frightened faces of the little crowd. A quick glance at her surroundings revealed the remains of a stranded, struggling people. The humble huts and bungalows lining the horizon were dilapidated. The rotting wood that held it all together was decaying from beneath the merciless sun.

The adamant shouts of fear grew louder.

At the end of a spearhead, her regrets were heavy on her shoulders. Bloodshed with villagers was imminent. With not a single member of her small division familiar with the language either, she knew that she would need to find an alternate way of defeating the oncoming Faceless. She ordered them to retreat.

Her group fought from the outskirts, attempting to stealthily remove the monsters as quickly as they could. The few Faceless that slipped through the cracks and made it into the town met their demise by the armed civilians, but it was not without great conflict. It was not without bloodshed.

"It's called Goushe," Azura had explained afterwards. "It's a different dialect of Hoshidan that hasn't been used for centuries- at least, to my knowledge. I suppose we stumbled upon on of the last remaining places that still uses it."

Corrin's head hung heavy in her hands.

"I've never even heard of it. Or that poor village…."

"I wouldn't beat myself up too much over it. There's a few places across the mountain range like that, Corrin. They're isolated from contact, for the most part."

"You said their language is an old dialect of Hoshidan," Corrin questioned, "Then could you understand any of it?"

"Hardy a word," Azura solemnly shook her head. "The two may have similar roots, but ultimately, they're two separate languages in their own right. I never learned even a lick of Goushe during my time in Hoshido. Sorry, Corrin."

She didn't have much luck interrogating Kaze either. He had further reaffirmed Azura's words. Even in his times serving the royal court, he had scarcely encountered anyone who could understand it.

"The language was mainly remembered by scholars and enthusiasts of linguistics," he had told her. "Shall I aid you in researching it in the library?"

"No thanks, Kaze," Corrin replied with a grateful smile. "I'll see what I can find on my own."

One measly textbook was all that was found.

 _A really horrible textbook at that..._

It didn't matter that they had managed to resolve the village conflict successfully. That simply wasn't enough. She was going to return someday, make amends, and establish a proper diplomatic relationship. Surely she could help in _some_ way. She wouldn't give up. That was what a good leader would do, after all.

"You're too hard on yourself," Azura had said. "We did our best and everything came out just fine. You don't need to take all the world's problems on your shoulders."

Kind words from a dear friend, but words that fell on deaf ears.

The flickering flame danced within its glass lantern as Corrin scanned the pages. A metallic tang filled her mouth as she bit her cheek hard enough to draw blood. She scrawled out another series of notes into her log as she read the passage for what felt like the thirty-sixth time.

"Wqishi," the word was alien on Corrin's tounge. "W-wqishi...s-shoongk? No, it's _'_ ro wirshiomi' _…_ no, that's not right either! Ugh!"

She toiled away for quite some time before a sleepy bout of drowsiness overcame her. Deciding to rest her weary head for a few minutes, she shoved her reading material aside and took a well-deserved nap.

When her eyes fluttered open again, she awoke to a darkened room. The light within the lantern had been long since extinguished. Sluggishly sweeping away a bit of drool from her lips, she re-lit the lantern and returned to her task- only to find someone else had already been there.

 ** _If you want to learn more about Guoshe, you can just ask. -Leo._**

 ** _P.S. It's best we don't have a 'loud arrive.' That might frighten them..._**

The pretty script was fancifully inscribed at the bottom of her sloppy notes. The cursive was pristine and crisp; undeniably Leo. She re-examined the last part of his message.

 _A 'loud arrive?' What on earth are you talking about?_

She understood when she revisited the rest of the page. Her previous notes had been scratched out in places, now adorn with arrows and carats and corrections of all kinds. Her furious scribblings had apparently constructed some pretty confusing sentences in her quest to piece together some semblance of a simplified, romanized alphabet. Underneath her original sentence, she found the answer to her question.

 _"Wqishi shoongk ro wirshiomi_ _loud arrive, hello big peace"_

 _Oh._

Beneath this note, he had corrected it.

 _"Wirshiomi, ro mahnti xhigka. = We come in peace."_

Corrin tugged on the ends of her hair in frustration. Of _course_ he would be familiar with this! Of course! _Show off!_

Oh, but that meant that he had not only heard of the recent trip's failure, but he had also come looking for her, most likely to discuss it...and she had been napping, of all things. Ugh! What kind of a leader was she?! Oh no, had he seen her drool? She passionately prayed that he hadn't seen her drool. Catching her snoozing was already bad enough.

Now he was almost assuredly going to want to tutor her in this. The last time he had done so, it was at Corrin's desperate insistence. He had agreed, but only on the condition that he wouldn't go easy on her- and he had kept that promise, straightlaced as ever. But he had proven to be an excellent teacher, strict but with the purest intentions. Her tactical ability had grown tenfold, and she was sure that this would be no different. He could help her master a few basic phrases of the language in no time, and yet…

She couldn't do it.

She wasn't quite sure when it had happened, but she couldn't focus anymore with him around. It hadn't always been this way. She'd always seen Leo as a rather attractive person, much like the rest of his family, but this was...well, this was different. Things were _much_ different now. After nearly taking a dagger to the head for the third time in a week, she was forced to admit that her infatuation had made her into a careless person.

It wasn't his fault- he couldn't help how devilishly handsome he was, poor sap.

He was poetry in motion, his form navigating the battlefield with an easy elegance that she couldn't tear away from. It seemed she cared nothing for her own safety anymore, so long as she could protect him with all she had. When had her simple crush evolved into full-blown adoration? When did she allow herself to slip so far into negligence? Was there any cure for these feelings? She couldn't bare to be alone with him any more, and yet, it was all she desired.

Corrin cursed herself. Her best friend had become her biggest distraction.

She hadn't expected him to be this aggravated with her, and she certainly didn't expect herself to find his irritated behavior _cute._

"Corrin!" he had stopped her in the following evening.

She glanced up, her innocent expression feigning ignorance.

"Oh, Leo. Hello. What is it you need?"

"What _I_ need? No, _I_ don't need anything at all."

"Alright then," Corrin smirked. "That's wonderful. Have a nice evening."

She was delighted to see his face scrunch up into an expression of pure outrage. Her nonchalant prodding away was only adding fuel to the fire, making him even more exasperated.

"And just where are you going?!"

"Oh, you know, places," she gave a noncommittal shrug. "I've got things to do. A leader's work is never done, after all. I've got some reading to brush up on, so if you'll excuse me..."

She knew it was killing him. She loved every moment of it. When it came to any kind of academic pursuits, he was ever so eager to help. It gave him a deep, special sort of satisfaction, a feeling of irreplaceable usefulness; that much she had learned from his previous tutoring sessions.

He had been rather smug since he had left her the note. He was obviously waiting around for her to come begging on her knees, pleading desperately for his help. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction- not just yet. There were few other forms of teasing that got on his nerves so easily, and Corrin used this intimate knowledge to her advantage.

"Honestly," he huffed. "You are so…so…"

"Adorable?" she slung her head back to give him a half-lidded, cocky glance. She couldn't place when exactly she had become so bold. "Precious? Charming?"

"A-Annoying!" his voice shot up by octaves. She stifled a laugh.

"Oh, just come on already!" She beckoned him along with a sweep of her hand. "You know you want to."

Too flustered to reply, he trailed along after her.

He was explaining conjugation and past tenses with great vigor. Unfortunately, with a dreamy gaze and her head in her hands, Corrin's attention was not on the lesson, but rather, on the teacher.

A sweet, crisp scent tickled her nose as she inhaled his scent. Had he always smelled this citrus-y? Surely she would have noticed the distinct tangerine aroma before...either way, she blessed her hyperaware dragon nose as she took another whiff.

"..so, as you can see, the necessity for a more streamlined, efficient language presented itself to the people, and thusly, Guoshe quickly exited the common vernacular as new, more evolved colloquialisms took hold…"

 _Hmm…'colloquialisms.' There's a word you don't hear everyday,_ she thought, her lips silently mouthing the word. _'Colloquialisms'...'colloquialisms'...such a mouthful._

There was so many little details to the man that she had never noticed before. How had she never noticed before? Oh, how there was so much to _notice_. The small patches of sun-kissed spots that occasionally colored his milky skin, the movement of lips forming such unfamiliar words, the soft parting of his flaxen hair, the deepest conviction ablaze in the light of his irises….

"Corrin?...Corrin? Corrin."

"Mmmmm?"

"Are you paying attention at _all?_ "

"Mmhmm."

"Then repeat back to me what I was just explaining."

His voice was so rich, the tone honeyed with a touch of huskiness that made her heart flutter whenever it called her name-

 _"Corrin!"_

He sighed, his visage melting from annoyance to concern.

"Shiouruahni, _"_ he said _. "_ "It means 'troubled,' which I am- for you. What's going on with you? It's like you're a thousand miles away."

His concern was genuine, which made her feel guilty. Here he was, graciously giving her his time to tutor her and attempt to mold her into something akin to a deserving leader, and what did she do? She drifted off into fantasizing about him as though she was a giddy young schoolgirl. Even in her guilt, some unbridled, playful side of her still persisted.

"'Sahny tahnki!' That means 'I don't know.'"

 _But it might as well mean 'I'm a big pervert.'_

"What? _'_ Sahny tahnki?' Corrin, that's not even a real thing. You just made that up!"

"'Oong ahnuqt,'" she smiled, continuing to spout more meaningless gibberish.

 _That means 'Being in the same room alone with you is a new form of torture…'_

When the heavy cover of the book closed with a thud, she was surprised. It seemed he wasn't going to play along after all. Instead, he inched closer to her.

"Are you upset with me?"

"Upset with you? Leo, spewing gobbledygook is hardly reason for you to think I'm mad at you-"

"Not that," he gave an eyeroll. "You carry on with that brand of silliness all the time. It's...everything else."

She let her silence speak her confusion.

"You've been…skittish around me as of late. You didn't even invite me along on the last mission- even though the whole situation _could_ have been avoided had I went, mind you. You refused to ask me for help with this, and even now, you're not listening to a word a say." He nervously stroked the nape of his neck and let his gaze falter to the floor. "You can tell me if I said something horrible. I know I can be rather harsh sometimes."

"No, no, you haven't said or done anything wrong. Really."

"Then...why?" His gaze returned to her once again, eyes full of a deep vulnerability she knew she wouldn't be able to brush off. Her heart quickened as she realized she was backed into a proverbial corner.

"Please tell me."

Taking a thick gulp, Corrin decided how best to proceed. She certainly wasn't the same girl she had been in her early days trapped in the fortress, but the clammy sweat forming on her palms was making her feel otherwise. Since then, she'd done everything from besting frightening beasts to clashing swords with enemy kingpins. So sure, this was new territory, but with a little effort and a lot of support, she had learned how to do all those other things, hadn't she? She would tread into this new territory in the same way. After all, how bad could it be?

"W-w-well, y-you see, it's like, it's, well, um.." Every last drop of moisture had evaporated out of her very parched tongue, leaving it impossibly heavy. Why was her voice so high? Her voice wasn't usually that high. And what had happened to her brain? It churned so slowly than even a single coherent sentence seemed impossible.

"I...I can't...pay attention? It's difficult now, yeah, so...um! That's...all..your fault. Ha! Haha..."

 _Curse me. This is awful._

The wide-eyed stare he gave her was full of confusion.

"You can't pay attention and...that's... _my_ fault?"

His brows were knit tight in deep concentration. Was he...could it be? Was he catching on? _Yes!_

"...It's the cologne, right?" His nostrils flared as took a nervous sniff of his wrist. "I-it's stupid, really. I didn't even _want_ it. N-Niles gave it to me as a gift, and of course rejecting such a thing is horrible etiquette. It smells too overpowering, doesn't it?"

Corrin wanted to pick up the book and beat herself over the head with it.

 _Leo! How can you be so smart yet so stupid at the same time?!_

This was getting her nowhere. It was time for a new approach. This being the first and only time she'd ever been infatuated with anyone, she was unsure of what to do next. She needed to channel someone more mature in these matters, someone who could navigate the rocky waters of flirtation and romance with ease. Someone like….

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She channeled her inner Laslow.

"I think you smell _divine_ ," she cooed, easing forward as charmingly as one can. As she did, her spine moaned with an ear-shattering crack.

 _Seriously?!_

"Corrin, are you okay?-"

"I'm fine! I'm fine," she quickly reassured with a rub of her sore back. "I'm always fine when you're around... _b-baby_."

Bewildered. The shock on his face was totally, absolutely, completely bewildered.

"Alright. That's how I _know_ you're not fine."

He stood now. Coming close (way too close for comfort, really, all she wanted to do now was run), he swept a tender hand over her burning cheek.

"What the- No wonder you're acting so weird! You're burning up. Come on, you need to rest. I'll fetch Elise, so let's get you to bed."

" _Make me,_ " she growled, locking eyes with him in a final, last-ditch effort to communicate some desperate semblance of how she was feeling. The minute it left her lips, she cursed it, along with her entire existence, as well as all the philandering prettyboy retainers in the world that had ever inspired this routine in the first place.

The gulp he took was audible. His cheeks began to burn with a scalding heat that surpassed her own. He had no reply, and rather than wait for the tension to devour them both, Corrin sprung quickly to her feet.

"S-sorry, you're right! I'm sick! I'm practically dying! B-bye, let's finish this up some other time," her frantic squeaks trailed behind her as she took a mad dash for the door.

"Wh...what...CORRIN! Get back here! You shouldn't be running around like a chicken with its head cut off, for crying out loud, you have a fever- CORRIN!"

This wasn't defeat- she hadn't lost the war, only the battle. Her first shot at it was officially a failure, ending with him hot on her heels as he chased her around like they were children again. Next time, she'd be ready and rehearsed. She would deliver her feelings properly.

But if she hadn't have been intensely mortified, she just might have found this moment endearing.


	7. lasting impression

Many years had passed since the elder Nohrian sister would read to her siblings.

Elise would beg for the sappiest of saccharine fables, and Camilla would happily oblige. Leo would argue every time that he wanted 'something of substance,' and that a child of his 'advanced reading level should have more suitable reading material, something with some sort of historical or practical value.' His sister would tell him that frankly, that was a load of pegasus dung.

"Oh, little Leo," she smiled as she ruffled his bangs. "You, of all people, need a fairy tale more than anyone I know."

"No, I don't," he protested as he pushed her hands away. "Those made-up stories are boring, and they're really gross. I can predict the ending every single time."

" _Hey!_ " Elise whined. "They're not gross!"

"Yes they are! They always end with two people smooching all over each other, and _that_ is gross."

"Is not!"

"Is to."

"Is not!"

"Is to and you know it."

"Camillaaaa, make him stop! He's being a meanyhead again."

"Well, we can't have that now, can we?" Camilla reached for the night's selected reading material, an amply sized book with a pearl-sheen, and cracked it open. She placed the book in her little brother's tiny hands and gave him a gentle smile. "Since he's being a 'meanyhead,' he'll have to be the narrator for tonight. Not that that will be any problem for him, of course."

The petite prince scoffed. Such trifle was beneath him, but he wasn't going to argue about it at this point. Elise would start shrieking again. Instead, he cleared his throat and began to read the words on the page aloud.

 _"Once upon a time, in a faraway land…"_

Irritation seeped through his voice as he begrudgingly told tales of daring dragons and wicked witches, of lovely lands and the princesses who inhabited him, and of the knights who inevitably fell in love with said princesses. _Predictable._ _Stupid!_

Page after page, word after word, his little sister's face beamed with fascination. His own expression was more akin to a sneer.

"I don't want to finish this," he stopped mid sentence.

"But you _have_ to! The knight was justa 'bout to give his love con...con..conspection!"

"Confession," Camilla corrected. "And yes, brother, please continue. I want to hear the knight's grand love confession as well."

"I think I'd rather throw up," he said with a close of the book. "How unrealistic."

At his refusal, his baby sister grew very upset. Her chin tightened into a pout as she fought the forming tears of an imminent tantrum. Camilla shushed and comforted the girl as her brother took his leave. Sighing, she realized she would have to finish the story herself. She took the book into her own lap and began reading for Elise's sake, but all the while, her mind was filled with worry for her little brother.

She knew he had been struggling deeply. With the recent passing of his mother, he had grown even more distant and detached than he'd normally been. From private conversation, Xander had informed her that Leo's mother had tossed him around as nothing more than an object, a tool to gain favor with her king. Not once had she ever truly shown him the love he deserved- the love he so desperately needed. Their father, bless him, did care, but found himself far too busy with running the kingdom to be there for his children when they most needed it.

Camilla related with the poor thing. Her story was hardly any different from his, but he seemed especially jaded from his mother's disdain. She and her other siblings tried with great vigor to endear themselves to him. She smothered him with affection, but it seemed that the harder she tried, the harder he pushed her away. Each passing day was met with a more aloof Leo. Her worries grew without ceasing.

"He'll come around," Xander had reassured her. "He deals with things differently. You just need to give him a little time."

But her heart hung heavy to watch him suffer alone.

 _Oh, little Leo,_ she thought, watching him from afar as he holed himself up in the dustiest, dullest corners of the library once more. _You, of all people, need a fairy tale more than anyone I know._

"Milord," Niles groaned. "It's been five hours. If you haven't found it yet, I doubt you're going to find it now."

Leo paid him no mind. He was entranced in a deep state of focus as he carefully considered every option before him. The cold gleam of sapphire, the soft glow of emerald...topaz, amethyst, jade…

"I hear that the duke up north has some nice stuff. Want me to nab you something good?"

"I'm not letting you steal me a wedding ring, Niles."

"Worth a shot," he shrugged. He leaned back against the wall and gave a lazy glance at the grimy state of his nail beds. Bored out of his mind, he considered grabbing Odin and stepping out to a tavern for a drink or two before deciding against it. For such a momentous occasion, he would tough it out for his master. Even so, he was beginning to feel really bad for that unfortunate sap of a gem dealer.

The wrinkles running deep beneath the poor jeweler's eyes were sagging heavy with exhaustion. He watched the prince, whose brows were furrowed in intense concentration, as he clutched a gemstone in each hand and studied each as though his life depended on it.

"You said earlier that you were working on some ruby pieces, correct? Might I see that collection?"

"Certainly, your highness," the jeweler rose to his feet once again, trudging back to the storehouse for the thirty-thousandth time that day.

"Milord, check this out! What dark, wicked sort of things you could conjure up with such a mighty stone?!" Odin proudly displayed the hunk of amber. "Look, it even has a spider encased within! Oh, mighty fossilized creature, tell us the secrets of romance unbeknownst to us-"

"I'm not proposing to Corrin with a fossil, Odin."

 _Although she'd probably be fascinated by that, goofy as it is. Maybe I'll buy her one for another time..._

Niles let out a pained sigh. When he and Odin had first discovered that Leo was off to Nestra on a 'secret mission,' they had insisted on accompanying him, despite his adamant protests. When he prodded and pestered Leo about it on the way there, he was incredibly tense and refused to tell them where he was headed. When they eventually reached the destination, a world-class, highly renowned jewelry shop in the heart of downtown Nestra, Niles understood.

And how he wished he would have just stayed home! It had been a number of painstaking _hours,_ watching the suddenly indecisive prince go back-and-forth on every gem and jewel the poor shop owned. For whatever reason, this rock was of deep importance. Niles failed to see why it mattered; in his eyes, Leo could have proposed with Odin's stupid spider fossil and Corrin would have accepted with joyous tears in her eyes. But try as he might, Leo would not hear this message. Instead, he continued on with his back-and-forth nonsense.

Odin took a seat at one of the many counters. From within the case, jewels shone and sparkled like torches in the night- but none of them were what his master was looking for, apparently.

"Hey, milord? If I could make a most humble suggestion...perhaps you have a family heirloom of sorts? A ring or necklace of your mother's? I mean, it might not be the most glamorous of ideas, but it would have a wealth of meaning, and I hear that ladies really go for that kind of-"

"Please," Leo scoffed. "My mother never gave me so much as a passing thought."

The jeweler returned, arms piled high with case after case.

"Here, your highness. My finest collection of rubies. Each were cut and crafted with the utmost care, and can be tailored further to your liking…"

And truly, they were the brightest, the best, and the biggest the man could offer. The gems shone like a sea of crimson stars against their silky black backdrop. Leo's eyes glossed over the collection with great scrutiny.

"What's this? There, in the corner-"

And there, nestled away in the corner of the case, rested a stone unlike any other he had seen.

"Oh, this?" The jeweler removed the odd jewel from the box. "My apologies, your highness, this isn't supposed to be in here. I must have placed it by accident-"

"Might I see it?"

The stone was strange; it seemed to glow. Seemingly enchanted hues of orange and blue were alight, dancing with ripples of green. The surface was smooth between his calloused fingers. It was so unlike anything he'd been presented, so curiously beautiful in its oddity that he couldn't help but admire it. Much like a girl he knew….

"A black fire opal," the jeweler said. "A merchant that passed through here a while back sold it to me. They said they'd come from a very far land, and I'm inclined to believe so- I've never seen a rock like this in all my years."

"I'll take it," Leo announced.

"E-Excuse me, sire? With all due respect, are you quite sure? I can't confirm the quality of this stone, nor do I know anything about it. For all I know, such a stone is not suitable for a royal engagement. It has no profound meaning that I know of."

"Then we'll have to make our own meaning," he responded. "Which suits her just perfectly, I'd say. Set this into a band for me and I'll take it."

"YES," Niles rejoiced with his hands to the ceiling. "We're finally done! We've finished! It's all over!"

"Oh, praise all the sacred powers that be! Fortune has blessedly smiled upon us today," Odin exalted with his aching head in his hands.

Leo rolled his eyes as he plopped a satchel on the counter. The torrential stream of coins and gold that followed were enough to make a duke jealous. "Will this cover it?"

"I-I-I should think so," the stunned jeweler said, attempting to keep a heart attack at bay.

"Oh, and include the amber, too- the weird one with the spider within it. And...Niles, throw something nice on the counter. Don't get crazy with it."

"Huh? What for?" Odin asked.

"Contrary to popular opinion, I, too, can be nice sometimes," he said. "And I have certainly put you both through the ringers today."

"You mean…" he glanced at the spider fossil, then back to his master, who was wearing a coy smirk. He understood. He was deeply touched."Oh, Prince Leo, the most High and Exalted of Sacred Leaders!"

"Stop, stop, who gave you permission to hug me?! Odin, get off of me- Niles! I told you not to get crazy with it! _One_ thing, not the entire shop!"

And so, by no small amount of effort, the first of the engagement trials was finished. Now, he supposed, came the most difficult portion of it all: proposing to the girl.

The news of the prince's upcoming engagement did not come as a surprise to his family.

"Woe's sakes, little brother, it's about time."

"I can't believe it," Xander laughed, heart jubilant for his sibling. "My little brother, getting married. Who would have guessed you'd turn out to be a regular casanova?"

"It was all thanks to me, really," Camilla beamed. "But if he'd have listened to my advice sooner, they'd have been married _months_ ago."

Xander's eyes gleamed with proud admiration. This day had finally come- and it had been a _long_ time coming. Xander felt a pang of regret at having not been as involved in Leo's romantic endeavors as he could have been, but it seemed as though that worry was for naught. It had turned out just fine in the end.

"Leo. Do you remember the time, all those years ago, when you resolved to sneak Corrin out of the fortress?"

Leo winced at the memory. "Of course I do, Xander. You punched the daylights out of me. One doesn't forget that."

"I did," he grimaced. "And it wasn't my best moment, I'll be the first to admit it. But you have to know, I was...I was terrified then. You were both so young, and letting the inexperienced Corrin out into the forest at night, wandering off into whatever danger awaited her…well, there was no guarantee that she was going to make it back. Even back then, your love for her blinded you. You were so determined to show Corrin the world that you were willing to risk everything- but that included her own safety."

"Why bring this up now? I'm far from the idiot teenager I once was. You know that."

"Exactly. Back then, you let your pride become a barrier to protecting the person you cared the most about. But the you that stands before me today would never let that happen. Being strong enough to protect the people you love means knowing that you have to do what's best for them, even if it's not the easiest thing."

Leo recalled that night. He and Corrin were so young then. Her unbearable loneliness drove him to disobey his family's wishes and devise a secret plan to show her the outside world. He was prideful enough then to believe he had secured a foolproof plan- and the fear that shook him when it wasn't changed him. When Corrin ended up lost, upstream and without any way of defending herself…

"I'm more than capable of protecting her now," Leo resolved.

"Please. Protection? If anything, you're going to need protection from _her_ ," Camilla snickered.

"Hm? I don't quite catch your meaning," Xander gave a blank look. Leo, however, absolutely understood his sister's insinuation.

"Don't act like you haven't seen her flash him wanton hungry eyes every second of the day," she said, sickening smirk widening. "Leo, now that this season of your life has arrived, your brother and I really must give you a proper conversation on the intimate passions of-"

 _"_ NO, THANK YOU. I AM VERY MUCH EDUCATED ON THIS MATTER."

The explosion of laughter that followed made his face heat up. No matter how old he was, his siblings were always going to treat him like this, it seemed. Some things never change.

"You bunch of perverts," he spat. He folded his arms and waited for them to cease their guffawing.

"I can't believe the time his finally come," Camilla cooed as the reality of the situation finally sunk in. "My darling Corrin, a blushing bride!...wait, have you told Elise yet?"

"No, I haven't. Where is she?"

"Last we saw her, she was over by the gardens. I'd suggest you hurry and find her- she's going to be ecstatic."

"WHAT?"

The knitting needles and their accompanying creation clattered to the dirt. Elise had been toiling away at making her pony, the great Duke Josif, a new riding blanket. The soft, pink ball of yarn had rolled away upon its impact with the ground, but Elise didn't care to chase after it. Not when she had just received this exciting tidbit of news- an announcement so shocking it had caused her to throw her work to the ground.

"You're getting married?! You?! To Corrin?!"

He gave her a simple nod. She leaped to her feet, tackling him in a spinning hug that sent the pair whirling.

"Oh, I KNEW it! I just knew this was gonna happen!"

He smiled at her reaction. She was ecstatic with the revelation, just as his siblings predicted. He allowed her to spin him around in her snug grasp before he eventually became dizzy and planted his feet firmly in the dirt.

"So, it's decided then," she clasped her hands together. "As a future auntie, I get a big say in what you guys get to name the kids."

"Kids? Wait, who said anything about kids? Elise, I haven't even _proposed_ yet-"

"Oh, brother." She shook her head, sending her gratuitous amounts of blonde hair swinging back and forth. Her lids closed in a sympathetic, near condescending expression as she clucked her tongue. "My dear, sweet, naive brother. They haven't given you the talk yet, I see."

"W-what the...Elise, not you too! I am a grown man, for crying out loud. I am well acquainted with the 'birds and the bees,' thank you-"

"What? Birds and bees? I'm not talking about a meadow, you silly! I'm talking about-"

" _Enough_ ," he spat. "That is enough."

She shrugged, giving him a sly look. "Well, whatever. My offer to name my future nieces and nephews still stands!"

He left her to coo and fawn over the prospect of naming her potential future nieces and nephews. She began debating the names _'Appaloosa'_ and _'Derfla'_ and further reassured Leo's decision to never let Elise name anything, ever.

Turning to take his leave, he found himself face to face with an thrilled-looking eavesdropper.

"Congratulations to the both of you," Azura said. "How lovely, a summer wedding…"

"Azura? How long were you…you know what, never mind. Listen, I have yet to even propose, so let's not get ahead of ourselves-"

"Would you allow me the honor of performing at your wedding? I have the most lovely aria in mind. I know Corrin will love it, especially!"

"Of course," Leo said, a little taken aback. He had already been nervous enough in telling his siblings. The last thing he needed was for even more people to find out. The thought of proposing was enough to send him into cold sweats, and furthermore, the chance that Corrin might reject him...no, he couldn't even entertain that idea.

"Oh, I'd best start rehearsing as soon as possible! I'll need to prepare the proper arrangements for the musical accompaniment…how many musicians do you think there will be?"

"Musicians? I'm sorry Azura, but as I said before, I simply haven't thought that far in advance yet."

"It was my mistake, truly. I apologize. I suppose when it comes to my closest friend getting married, I may get carried away."

She gave him a well meaning smile and wished him good luck before disappearing, no doubt to rehearse whatever she had in mind.

The conversation left Leo feeling disorganized and panicked. He hadn't thought this all the way through yet. If Azura had already thought that far in ahead within moments of finding out, why hadn't he? Where was his sense of foresight and masterful planning? This wasn't like him.

Now that he thought on it, how far in advance _was_ he supposed to plan? What level of planning did women expect? He didn't have a frame of reference in the slightest. With his apathetic mother long since gone and his father being the aloof and distant ruler that he was, he was at a loss. And he refused to embarrass himself in front of Xander and Camilla again. He couldn't discuss it with anyone outside of family, either, lest the list of people that knew about his impending proposal grew.

 _Looks like I'll have to use some deductive reasoning on this one._

It had seemed like an eternity had passed by the time Charlotte's palm had come flying down on the library desk.

"Lord Leo! Hey!"

He looked up from the numerous open books scattered around him to see Effie and Charlotte, surrounding him with giddy looks plastered on their faces.

"So, we heard a rumor. Or something like that."

"..."

"...well? Aren't you going to ask what it's about?"

"No. I don't care for idle gossip. Now, I have things to attend to, so if you'll leave me be…"

"It's about you and Corrin," Effie stated. "That you're getting married."

His back stiffened. Luck just wasn't in his favor today. With a gulp, he resolved to keep his secret.

"...and who on earth would you have heard that from?"

"We were on our evening patrol duty together when we ran into Azura down by the lake. She was singing and dancing like a madwoman, running through the same set over and over. We asked her what was up and she got all weird- that's when I knew she was hiding something. We used our fabulous powers of persuasion and made her talk!"

 _'Fabulous powers of persuasion,'_ Leo scoffed. _More like 'Azura can't lie to save her life…'_

"I don't know what she told you, but whatever nonsense you're on about, I can assure you it's false."

Charlotte snagged an open book off the desk and glared over the contents before Leo had a chance to stop her. She shoved her finger at the revealing page.

"So, you're just holed up in here reading about Nohrian wedding traditions and courtship etiquette for giggles?" She said.

"Our fabulous powers of persuasion work again," Effie smiled.

"I don't believe either of you have ever looked up what the word 'persuasion' means-"

"You're gonna invite lots of nobility to this thing, right?!" Charlotte was beaming now, her eyes alight like he had never seen them before. "It's only natural, seeing how it _is_ a royal wedding."

"And a gourmet pork dinner, too. With sides and appetizers for as far as the eye can see!" Effie's mouth began to water. "Make sure it's iron-rich; your soldiers need to bulk up as much as they can."

He rolled his eyes and sighed, not at all in the mood to put up with these antics.

"It's gotta be perfect," Charlotte demanded. "You need to treat a girl right. Especially if it's Lady Corrin."

"'Happy wife, happy life,' isn't that how the saying goes?" Effie gave a hearty laugh.

"Ladies, please, I understand you're both excited but, as I've already had to explain many times already, I haven't even proposed yet."

"Well? When are you gonna?" Charlotte put her hands on her hips, giving him an expectant look. "Actually, more importantly, how are you gonna?"

"I'm not sure yet.'"

She exchanged a look of indignant shock with Effie before going on a tirade.

"You don't even know how you're going to propose to her?! Come on, Lord Leo, you have to get with the times! This isn't like the old days; guys have to step their game up now if they want to woo a girl! You gotta bedazzle her, you gotta _wow_ her. Pull out all the stops and show her what you're made of."

Effie nodded in solemn agreement. "If it were me, I'd only say yes after they'd properly beaten me in a push-up challenge. No use in marrying someone if they can't push me to train to be my best."

"Excuse me, but, _push-up contest?_ "

"Or maybe just a giant cake. At least three tiers- and packed with scoops of protein powder. That's the way to a girl's heart."

The image of presenting Corrin with a push-up contest, followed by a towering, multi-tiered protein cake, was a fantasy bizarre enough to make his head spin.

"Setting is everything," Charlotte continued. "If you don't pick somewhere romantic enough, there's no guarantee she'll say yes. Have you scoped out any potential sites? Waterfalls? Fancy restaurants? Gondola rides under the sunset? You have to get creative."

"Come on, Charlotte- a gondola ride under the sunset? That's boring. I'd much rather have something more adventurous than that. Why not rock climbing, or cliff diving? Something less cliche."

With every tip and trick the two well-meaning women gave him, the bar for success rose higher and higher, until Leo was convinced his chance of actually succeeding was near impossible. There was so much he hadn't even thought to consider, and he would surely need ample amounts of time to prepare a proposal worthy of his darling Corrin.

With his stress level through the roof, Leo wondered how anyone managed to pull this off successfully. Now he had so many additional variables to factor in that his equation was an unholy mess. It to be romantic, but not overly so- there was a fine line between 'adorable' and 'sappy,' as he had learned today- oh, but it also needed to be as genuine as it was exciting, and he didn't want to bore her- and then there was the whole issue of crystal chandeliers and fireworks…

He rubbed his tired temples. He could feel a migraine coming on. Not once in his life had he been met with a tactical challenge so soul-crushingly difficult as this one. The stakes were higher ever with the hand of his beloved on the line. He would take his time, no matter how painful it might be, and find a plan that ensured success. Anything short of guaranteed perfection simply wouldn't cut it.

From beneath the arcading arches that overlooked the sea, he paced diligently. He did not notice Corrin's approach.

His eyebrows were knit together in an unbreakable, intense focus. Damp strands of flaxen hair clung to his flushed cheeks. _He must have been in the hot springs not long ago_ , Corrin noted. He tended to soak there when he hit a mental block during strategy formulation. However, she couldn't recall a time when she'd ever seen him this distraught- well, more than distraught. The quiver of his lip betrayed another feeling, something more nervous and desperate.

"What's wrong, Leo? You look so...sad."

"Not now, Corrin."

"What's the matter? I know you too well, Leo. You can't keep anything from me," she teased. And it was true- there was no one who knew his behaviors better than her. He couldn't deny that. "Come on now, tell me what's bothering you."

He did not reply. A single bead of sweat trickled down his forehead, but whether it was from the recent bath or the situation at hand, Corrin did not know. She waited in the silence.

"...Could you please just leave me alone for a little while?"

She hadn't expected that. The occasional testy mood would cloud his temper, sure, but he was never one to push her away. Whatever was bothering him must have been severe. If it was so serious, how could he not share it with her?

"You don't mean that...right?"

"Sorry, it's just...you're the last person I want to see me like this."

 _Ah. So that's it._

"Oh, don't be silly." Her eyes were cast him a gentle gaze as she took his hand in her own. With the other, she softly brushed away the clumps of wet hair stuck to his face. "Being sad is nothing to be embarrassed about."

A throb of hurt struck her heart as he pulled his hand away.

"You don't understand. You couldn't. Please, just go."

Had she...had she been too forward? She was a naturally affectionate person, preferring to express herself in a physical way. He had always been comfortable with those ways in the past, so why would he reject choose to reject her now? Did he...did he only now realize her feelings for him? Did those feelings upset him? She had been so overtly obvious, but she could no longer hold those affections back. Her heart was a fountain, her devotion running over.

"...There's really nothing I can do to help you? Nothing at all?"

The silence was thick. As he took a nervous step backwards, away from her, a sinking feeling spread in her chest. She understood.

"Very well. If you don't want me around, I'll...I-I'll leave you to your solitude." She turned away, hoping to hide the hurt in her eyes. "Just...just know that I'm here for you. If you need anything at all, just let me know."

And she meant every word, even if her desires repulsed him. She cherished his whole being; even if she couldn't be someone special in his eyes, she would still be thankful to watch over him as a dear friend. A pool of tears threatened to form in the corners of her eyes. She cursed them, along with the heat dusting her cheeks.

"...forgive me, Corrin. Perhaps you can help after all. Will you hear me out?"

"...I thought you'd never ask," she said, stopping in her tracks.

"I have a problem, and for the life of me, I can't figure out a solution."

"There's something even the great Leo can't figure out?!" A smile seeped through her voice. "What could it be?!"

"There's something I want very badly, but I don't know how to go about obtaining it. This has never happened. I've never had a problem I couldn't think my way out of. I know it would be foolish to act without proper planning..." The husky tone of his voice shook with uncertainty. "And yet, I don't think I can hold myself back any longer."

The revelation had shocked Corrin. Who knew he had been fostering such convictions? Certainly not her. What could he possibly want so much that it would have him standing by the shore, in the dark of night, completely destroying his composure?

"Leo...if it means that much to you, you have to go for it! What is it you want?"

"Perhaps this will make things clear."

He shoved his hands into the silken lining of his cloak and retrieved a small, velvet box. With the pop of the lid, a sparkling stone was revealed unlike any other Corrin had ever seen.

"Wait...this is a ring!"

"Keen as ever," he teased. "But as you might as surmised, this isn't just any ring…"

 _An enchanted talisman? The gateway to another world? A dragonstone? By Moro's sacred bones, don't tell me he's a dragon, too?!-_

"...This is the ring you give to one special person whom you vow to love for eternity."

A new assurance grew in his tone, his words now as confident as his convictions were strong.

"When I bought this ring for you, for the first time in my life, I felt… _happy._ Pure happiness, like everything finally made sense in my life."

Her head felt incredibly faint as her trembling legs threatened to give out on her. Was this actually happening? Was she hearing correctly?!

"I've been battling these emotions since I first learned we aren't blood related…"

 _For that long?!_

"But as I said, I cannot hold them back any longer."

"Y-you don't mean…"

"Dear Corrin," the corners of his mouth twisting up into a sheepish smile, "It seems I've fallen madly in love with you. Would you do me the honor of accepting this ring?"

"Leo! I don't know what to say…"

"I know- it's just...You're all ever think about! I love you so much, I'm in agony!"

If she was dreaming, then by some miracle she hoped she'd never wake up. May the heavens bless her with eternal slumber. As he gazed at her gawking expression with pleading eyes, he reminded Corrin of a fawn who'd caught himself at the end of the archer's arrow. He was more anxious, more fearful, and more vulnerable than he'd ever been in his entire life.

"I'm sorry...I know this is probably the last thing you expected me to say. But now that it's out there, I must know...Do you feel the same?"

" _Leo…_ " She summoned all the courage she could muster. "Thank you. I happily accept this beautiful ring, and the even more beautiful man who has bestowed it upon me."

"R-really?!"

"Yes. I feel exactly the same as you do-"

He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, grasping her tightly. He buried his face into the silvery strands of hair spilling over her shoulder. A great, shaky sigh of relief followed. Corrin ran her fingers through his wet hair, carding through the disheveled mess. She pressed a kiss on the crown of his head.

"I'm glad you said something. I don't think I ever would have found the courage to." She cringed remembering her failed attempts at confessions long since passed. "I know I still have much to learn, but I promise to try my hardest for you! I want nothing more than to be worthy of your love."

He pulled away to stare into her eyes now, still holding her close.

"You are perfectly splendid just as you are, Corrin. But when it comes to lessons...well, you're not the only one with learning to do. Together, I'm certain that we will both continue to grow as warriors and as people."

"I look forward to it." She giggled, heart giddy with delight.

"Thank you for your hand, Corrin. I swear to devote my life to your happiness."

"Oh, Leo. I promise the same."

And beneath the light of the moon, on the cobblestone path beside the waves, the prince kissed his princess for the first of what would be many times that night, tasting the salt of the sea on his beloved's lips. Much to his dismay, she broke the kiss far too soon.

"So, when can we get married? How does tomorrow sound?"

"W-wh..what?! Tomorrow? But, Corrin, I don't think we can throw a wedding together in a couple hours-"

"Oh, of course we can. We'll have Xander officiate the vows- he's the crown prince of Nohr, so that's pretty official-and Elise can dump some flowers around us for tradition's sake! And to end it, we'll fly off into the sunset on Camilla's wyvern and call it a day. That sounds just perfect to me."

"I..You...Don't you want, I don't know, a big fancy wedding? You know, we could have a whole year to prepare, have all the pomp and circumstance of a formal event. Dukes, duchesses, a diamond chandelier-"

"Why would I care about that? As long as you're there, that's all I care about."

And that is when he realized that all the anxiety, all the stress and the worry, had been for nothing. She didn't need a diamond chandelier or a royal ball or a gourmet pork dinner- she only needed them to be together. He chided himself for being so stupid, and subsequently wondered what he ever did to deserve such a person like her.

"Tomorrow, then," he agreed. He clutched her face in his palms as he brought her face to his once again, long lashes batting closed as he moved to sweep her lips with his own.


	8. second chance

second chance

time: the end of chapter 3

When Father had announced Corrin's first mission, Leo had initially been suspicious.

After all, it was truly unlike King Garon to be so forgiving of such egregious disobedience. Under normal circumstances, the punishment would have been swift and severe. Heck, had it been himself or Xander, he doubted they would have lived to see the light of day again. Perhaps his father's heart had finally softened, or maybe he was just feeling especially generous towards Corrin…but it seemed unlikely. His father had never been one to coddle her. Something was peculiar about this, that no one could deny.

Regardless, Corrin had set off on her first mission with bright eyes and an unbreakable spirit of determination. _Please don't worry,_ she had reassured them. _It's just an abandoned fort._ Those reassurances had done nothing for his nerves. Corrin had never even left the Northern Fortress before. One on hand, he understood that this day was a long time coming, but on the other hand, had she really been effectively prepared? She couldn't see it, but Xander always went easy on her during training.

This was meant to be a solo mission, a test to prove Corrin's worth as a part of a noble lineage. They weren't supposed to follow her on her outing, but that didn't stop them from tagging along anyway. Leo might have attributed it to Elise's ceaseless urging or Camilla's insistence, but in the end, every single one of them felt uneasy about the mission. Something felt off, though Leo couldn't place what exactly it was. The fact that she had been accompanied by only one veteran retainer and a well-known murderer was doing nothing to quell his anxieties.

As it would turn out, their feeling had been correct. Not long after arriving, they found that the fort was far from abandoned; it was filled to the brim with Hoshidan soldiers. To make matters worse, reinforcement soldiers were on their way, with the Hoshidan High Prince in tow.

"Corrin," Xander instructed. "You take the lead with Gunter. We'll follow close behind."

She nodded, recognizing the need for her siblings' help. Good. Knowing your limits was half the battle. Maybe she had paid attention during all those training sessions after all…

"Now, the rest of you: let's make sure these reinforcements don't get any ideas about following us."

"On it," Leo agreed, wasting no time in flipping his tome open to cast an attack on a Hoshidan samurai who was tailing a little too close.

Ahead of him, Camilla took a daring lunge, catching an enemy on the downsweep and throwing him aside. With a well-timed spell, Elise had frozen a sky knight in mid-air, Xander following up with the finishing blow seconds later. In this way, they continued on for quite some time, keeping the enemies at bay whilst trying to move along at a respectable pace.

A sudden clap of thunder sent Elise jumping out of her saddle.

"Pay attention, darling," Camilla cautioned as she took a swing at an approaching soldier. "Don't let a little stormy weather take you off your guard."

"Pay attention yourself, Camilla! You're the one flying around on a Wyvern in the middle of a lighting storm, for goodness sakes," Leo scolded.

"Hey guys, has anyone seen Corrin?" Elise interrupted their banter. "I could have sworn she was nearby a little bit ago...she must have gotten really far ahead while we were fighting!"

Xander looked up from the heat of the battle to search for the missing princess. His eyes scanned their dark surroundings, surprised to realize he had lost track of Corrin some time ago; she was nowhere within sight, nor was Gunter.

"Let's back off of the offensive and move to catch up," he directed.

Corrin and Gunter were not the only ones who had fled the scene. Leo noticed another member absent, one that gave him great cause for alarm: Hans.

The man was a real garden variety sociopath, a notorious force of evil that had once plagued the Nohrian people. Why his father dared keep such a scoundrel around was beyond him, but perhaps he wasn't one to talk. Niles had had his fair share of law breaking in his past, but Leo had still seen fit to appoint the man as one of his most trusted retainers. And yet, while Niles had abandoned those old outlawing ways to fully devote himself to his lord's will, Leo had never for a second been convinced of Hans' apparent 'reformation.'

A horrible twisting feeling tormented his stomach, though he fought against it. He silently reassured himself that everything was alright. They'd find the three just up ahead, and everything would be fine. They'd simply lost track of the party in aiding their escape route. That was all.

They quicked their pace, winding through stony paths and rotting oaks, careful all the while of the imminent threat awaiting below them.

His eyes drifted to the dark chasm. No one knew what lay beyond the bottomless pit. No one had ever lived to tell the tale. It was seemingly endless in its blackness, a vast, swirling abyss of despair waiting to devour any unsuspecting victims that might happen to fall in. Surely, there was some logical explanation for where the canyon led- no canyon could really be bottomless, of course. And wherever that led, he hoped he would never be forced to find out.

He clicked his tongue, sending the signal to his steed to accelerate. He caught up to Xander's side and matched his brother's pace. Beside him, Xander was silent and pensive, staring off into the distance in deep thought. Leo broke the silence.

"What game is father playing?"

"Hm?"

"This is the border of Hoshidan territory," Leo said. "Why would he send Corrin here? Has he forgotten?"

"What are you insinuating about our father?"

"Nothing," Leo was quickly defensive. "I just find this to be a very risky move. I trust father's judgement, but it seems too dangerous a probability that she would run into..."

He did not have to finish his sentence. They both understood the unspoken meaning. _Someone who would recognize her._

Leo understood Xander's silence as an indication of his agreement. The knowledge of Corrin's true lineage was a heavy burden to carry. The guilt of living a lie was suffocating at times.

She was still young when she had been thrust into their lives, but not young enough under normal circumstances to accept the sudden new family as her own. It was to their father's advantage that the young Corrin had suffered such significant trauma. The memory loss she had endured had left her nearly catatonic for the first few months, and as far as anyone understood, she did not question her situation.

At first, Leo hadn't really questioned it either. He had ventured a guess that she was close to his age (maybe a tad older). Not that it really mattered; she wouldn't be able to confirm or deny it anyway. His father had taken many a concubine, and the possibility that there were a number of half-siblings he had yet to meet was large. It was thanks to his elder siblings that he had learned of her true origins.

A few months after her arrival, Xander and Camilla had pulled him aside and explained everything. Their father's standoff with King Sumeragi, the kidnapping of one of their own for hostage leverage, and their father's retribution in taking Corrin. This is how Leo came to understand it, and it was not a difficult story to accept; he couldn't deny something was different about the girl from the start. The way his father kept her locked up all alone in the Northern Fortress, away from the rest of the world and the royal family, did not add up. Not only that, but she didn't look anything like the rest of them. They may have all had different mothers, but one couldn't deny the likeness of Garon in each of his children. This girl, however, shared not a single trait. She was strangely draconic in appearance, with blazing ruby eyes and a wild mane of silvery hair. As a child, Leo had thought that she looked positively out of place next to the rest of them.

Tonight was her first real, official venture out of said Fortress, Leo realized, and what a horrible venture it had been. He'd have to find a better excursion to take her on later. Perhaps into Windmire? She'd never been to the capital before. Or maybe somewhere less congested with people…on second thought, the moorlands might be better.

"Have faith in our father's wisdom," Xander's gentle voice broke his thoughts. "Corrin is a part of our family, too. He would not want to see any unnecessary harm come to his daughter."

His brother's words were kind and merciful, absolving their father of any blame. He wanted to trust in those words, to believe them and rid himself of the horrible twisting feeling in the pit of his stomach, but the dread growing in the back of his mind persisted. How would she react, he wondered, if she found out the truth on this very night? Would she be angry? Furious, even? It would be an understandable reaction, learning you were torn from your original family as a political hostage. Would she see that it was more complicated than that? Could she look past the act that was born out of the harsh, unforgiving nature of war to see that they truly loved her?

And would she feel disgusted if she were to learn that a certain member of this makeshift, unorthodox family loved her in a way that was not all familial?

Maybe she'd be so sickened at the thought of it all that she'd shun them altogether. How crushing that would be, to be abandoned after all this time. Just the mere concept of her betrayal was too painful to even fathom, and he knew he wasn't the only one that would feel this way; the blissful years spent with Corrin had softened each and every one of his sibling's hearts, and he didn't want to imagine the agonizing events that might unfold as a result of her rejection.

As they grew closer and closer to home, Corrin was nowhere to be seen.

"She must have made it back already," Xander figured. "We simply fell too far behind. By now, she is no doubt reporting back to father."

Before long, they were proceeding through the familiar castle gates once again, making their way to the royal stable to dismount.

The royal stable was a marvel. Stately black columns stood in orderly rows, dark stone gleaming beneath lantern light. Leo much preferred this wing of the stable over the chaos that was the wyvern aviary. He resented having to visit that area every time he was sent looking for Camilla; it was ridiculously loud, the creatures brawling and baying for seemingly no reason, not to mention that it was hot with all of the fire-breathing.

He dismounted his steed, Alsviðr, and led her back into her stall.

"Milord," a portly servant came calling, "Allow me."

"No, it's alright," he declined. "I'll handle this."

The gentleman clamped his mouth shut, looking rather conflicted at his lord's refusal.

While there was many an attendant ready to relieve him of this duty at his beck and call, Leo rather enjoyed the process. When any of his siblings would tease him about it, he'd scoff and deny any enjoyment, proclaiming that it was all because his steed was a purebred, the top of her class, and he simply couldn't leave her in any old buffoon's care- a man is only as good as his steed, after all. But the truth was that he had a soft spot for the creatures and the husbandry of taking care of them. The embarrassing admission had him sighing. Maybe their teasing was right- maybe he was becoming a big 'softie' after all.

He finished detacking, grooming, and watering the horse, preparing to leave for the evening before remembering one last thing at the sound of the creature's impatient whinny.

"Ah, that's right," he gave a small smile. "You weren't about to let me forget your treat, were you?"

Closing the stall door behind him, he ventured over to the far side of the stable where the attendants kept the fresh fruit and vegetables in little wicker baskets. He selected a carrot from the top of the pile and made his way back, feeling as though something was...off.

He stopped, turned once more, and traced his steps.

"Groom," he called to the nearest attendant. He stood in front of an absent stable, the home of Gunter's large grey Shire horse. "Is this horse out to pasture?"

"No, your Highness," the groom answered. "Sir Gunter has yet to make his return."

His blood froze cold in his veins.

Immediately, he launched into a sprint, exiting the stables with frenzied panic as he rushed to catch up to his siblings.

"Xander," he ran after his eldest sibling, catching him on his way back to Castle Krakenburg. "Xander, we have to go back."

"Leo, what's the matter?" Camilla turned to face him, startled by the sudden frantic appearance of her younger brother. "Why, you look as though you've seen a ghost, darling."

"They didn't make it back."

The color drained from Xander's face. He wasted no time in snapping into action.

"Camilla, let's go," he snapped, the woman's eyes wide with alarm. They turned, running back for their mounts. Leo ran alongside them.

"I'm coming, too."

"No. Stay and watch over Elise- she's already inside. Inform father of what has happened. Camilla and I will return shortly."

"I'm coming along," Leo spat.

"No," Xander halted. "You're staying and _that's final_."

The two brothers were locked in a stare-down, neither one showing any sign of standing down. Leo would not be intimidated by his elder brother's tactics; Xander may have been able to lord his slight height advantage over him, but Leo was not one to falter in the face of ferocity. He was every bit as tenacious. He would not yield to his brother's commands, especially not if Corrin was in danger and needed him now.

"Leo," Camilla's voice broke the tense silence. "Xander and I are going to take care of the situation back at the ravine; you're going to take care of everything here. Watch the skies. Send backup the second you see the signal. Make sure Elise doesn't get too upset."

The standoff showed no sign of ending. The two were still engaged in a battle of wills.

"Please," she begged. "For Corrin. Cooperate, just this once."

At the mention of her name, Leo slowly snapped out of it. He backed away, not at all happy to resign himself to this.

"Fine," he snarled. "But only because I'm the best tactician out of you sorry lot, and if this comes down to a matter of reinforcements, we'd all die otherwise."

Camilla gave a small, knowing smile, seeing past his harsh words and into the tumultuous twist of fear he was feeling; it mirrored her own. Xander had already set off for the stable, ready to throw his mount's armor together at a breakneck pace and prepare for whatever battle awaited them.

As Camilla turned to follow, she was stopped.

"Camilla?"

"Yes?"

"Bring her back."

"If it takes my own life."

And the two set off, parting ways to their respective duties.

With clenched fists, he fought back against his biting irritation. He may have been angry over the way the confrontation played out, but this wasn't the time to argue and butt heads with his know-it-all older brother. He understood that he had a role in this mission, even if it wasn't the role he wanted. They didn't know what was awaiting them back at the Bottomless Canyon, and Leo needed to prepare for every conceivable event and arrange reinforcement formations. A well-formulated strategy was half the battle, and if this is what his role would come down to in protecting Corrin, then so be it. He would not fail.

He stormed his way through the castle, heading straight for the throne room. He'd inform his father of all that had happened before taking to the lookout. Maybe he'd grab Elise on the way- or maybe not. She might get a little too worked up about it, and that was the last thing his weary head needed right now.

 _It's going to be alright,_ he reassured himself once more. _We'll take care of it. Corrin will be safe and sound by the night's end._

He'd make sure of it himself.

* * *

By the time Xander and Camilla had returned, they were well into the late hours of the night.

Elise was waiting in the lookout tower with him, though she had long since fallen asleep. Her soft, breathy snores were the only sound filling the quiet space. The flickering of candlelight gently illuminated her sleeping face, leaving Leo alone to drown in his thoughts.

He'd waited and waited, formulating plan after plan for every conceivable scenario possible, watching the skies for some sign of an update. And yet, the skies remained empty. Not a single color penetrated the dark.

There were no messengers gallantly tumbling in with scroll in hand to inform him of the situation, no fiery flares to ignite the night sky, and no word from his father. He felt utterly and completely useless. Where were they? What was taking so long? Surely, something had to have happened. He had to trust that, in the event that they found themselves over their heads, they would be smart and signal for him.

He looked over to Elise, curled up against one of the strategy tables fast asleep, and wished she were awake. Her (usually annoying) brand of unshakable optimism would be much appreciated right now.

When Corrin returned, he was going to give her the lecture of a lifetime. She had gotten too careless somewhere along the way, he was sure of it. She definitely wasn't ready to venture out on her first mission all alone, and Xander was a fool for sending her ahead of them like that. His brother always went easy on her during training; he'd need to take over her lessons from now on. He would train her himself, he decided, and would shrug off any protests from the rest of his siblings. Xander had lacked to teach her the important nuances of war, instead focusing on simple shows of brute strength. Clearly, his teachings had failed her; had they not, she would be here now, safe and sound...

Any late-night fatigue that had settled in disappeared as the figures of his elder siblings finally appeared on the horizon.

"Elise," he shook her shoulders, "Elise, wake up! They're back."

"Huh? W-Wha….?"

"Come on, wake up. We need to go meet them at the gate."

He frantically pulled his little sister along, rushing them down to the castle's entrance.

As the returning siblings came into view, it quickly occurred to the two of them that something was deeply, tragically wrong.

"Leo...where's Corrin?" Elise remarked, still somewhat drifting in and out of her sleepy state.

Elise was correct- Corrin was nowhere in sight. The return party was composed of the same two members from when it had taken its leave. The stony, stoic expression frozen on Xander's face came into view as the approached.

"Hey...guys? Where is Corrin? Did you find her?" Elise's voice was hesitant, more alert now as worry began to set in.

Camilla said nothing in response. She slowly trudged forward, crestfallen, her head hung low.

"Xander. Tell us what happened," Leo demanded. "I didn't stay behind for you to show up without her."

Camilla raised her head, her eyes pooling over with tears. She opened her palm, revealing a tattered black ribbon- the same one, Leo immediately recognized, as the one Corrin had adorned her headband with that very same night. The night air was suddenly much too cold, pricking at the exposed skin of his wrists and leaving goosebumps in its wake.

 _No. No, no, no._

A silent stream of tears flowed down Camilla's cheeks. She had nothing left to say- but, if she did, it wouldn't have mattered. He doubted he would have heard it. The world around him had stopped, and time along with it. Beside him, Elise's chin quivered, her lips starting to tremble.

 _This cannot be happening. No._

"We found this...caught in the planks of the bridge over the Bottomless Canyon," Xander said, his voice detached and lost, breaking the silence from some far-away place. "There were no horse tracks beyond that point, either. It seems that both Corrin and Gunter...they…"

The man could not finish his sentence. A terrible lump was forming in his throat, but it was alright; he did not need to continue. They knew the horrible unspoken truth.

Soaked strands of violet hair clung to wet cheeks as Camilla embraced her little sister, whose loud sobs pierced the silence of the night. Xander said nothing, nor did he weep. He simply hung his head low.

 _She's gone. No, she can't be gone. Surely, we've missed something. Corrin can't be gone._

He would not see her gentle, warm smile ever again, or hear that ridiculous snort noise she did when she laughed. She wouldn't interrupt his reading, or ask another asinine question, or tackle him in another one of her signature 'surprise hugs.' He'd never again revel in the way her eyes lit up when he'd stopped by the Northern Fortress for a visit, or scold her for her proclivity for playful games and endless teasing. These were memories of the past now.

 _She was gone._

Something warm and wet trailed down his cheeks. It took him a minute before he realized that they were his own tears.

"I...I must inform father," Xander coughed, struggling to hide his face from the rest of his siblings as he plodded away.

Corrin had left this Earth knowing Leo as her brother. Now, she would never learn the truth. She'd never know of his terrible remorse for keeping the family secret. He could never express to her how guilty he'd felt over the way his father had robbed her of her old life and memories, or how much guiltier he felt that he was disgustingly grateful of it.

 _I never got to tell her how much I loved her._

Their entire world had just been flipped upside down, ruined, completely ruined, and there was nothing he could do about it. It was too late. He desperately tried to piece together some hopeful explanation, some other way of looking at the problem, some last ditch effort, anything. The more he thought, the more the situation became more bleak, and he was forced to stare in the face of the cold, horrible truth.

How hopeless it all was! The more it sunk it, the harder he began to cry. It was the first time he'd cried in a very, very long time, and with the way he was feeling now, he questioned if he would ever stop.

In the days that would follow, he would question if he could ever feel happy again.

Not a word was spoken between the family as the grief set in. Xander spent his days shut away in his room, scarcely making himself seen for any reason. No one would hear a word out of him, but that was just like Xander, Leo supposed: trying to pull a tough face for the rest of his siblings. In contrast, Camilla would wail and wallow in agony the likes of which no one could possibly console. Despite this, Elise would try her hardest, dutifully staying by her sister's side while fiercely grieving herself.

And Leo…

Leo was drowning in the depths of denial.

It was so horribly illogical, but what else could he do? He couldn't accept what had happened. How could he? With the one person he adored above all else gone in the world, what was he to do? He refused to resign himself to a life of numbness. He could not allow the pain to swell over him and harden his broken heart with apathy as he once had as a child. He'd rather become a fool, begging for a miracle, than to learn how to accept the horrible defeat he'd been dealt.

The dark circles beneath his eyes would bare proof to the unholy hours he would see, hoping and pleading and praying without end through the sleepless nights, begging for a second chance. He poured through every last tome and text, frantically searching for an answer, a sign, a miracle of any sort that could help him remedy this wretched turn of events. Was there a spell for turning back time? For changing your fate? Bringing back someone from the dead? If there was, he was going to find it. It didn't matter that all the texts mentioned these miracles as tall-tale myths or storybook legends. He would not dismiss any of it now. In the past, he would have scoffed at such silly things, but he and his family were now in grave need of a second chance. Anything would do.

Even as the castle prepared for Corrin's funeral passage, he could not bring himself to abandon hope that there might be some other way yet. He would resign himself to holding out until the bitter end.

Since the night that they received the horrible news, Elise's eyes had been two unsightly, puffy welts, bloodshot and exhausted. Clad in mourning clothes and looking more miserable by the minute, she clutched a clumsily made creation; a little bird, with erratic stitches and jagged corners. However, no one could deny that there was no gift more crafted with love anywhere in the entire world.

"I made this," she sniffled, "For Corrin's send off. I-It's supposed to be that baby bird she told us about. Remember? The one she saved back at the fortress?"

She swept tender fingers across the velvety, jagged fabric of the wings and gave it a heartbroken gaze. Looking at her now, the past few nights had seemed to age her by years.

"Do you think she'll like it? If she's watching over us from heaven?"

He couldn't find the words to respond. He did not know it was possible to feel more crushed than he already did, but the sight of his little sister's suffering broke him even more than he thought possible. In a rare show of affection, he pulled her into his arms and squeezed her tight.

"I bet Corrin would love it- no, she WILL love it. You can show it to her the next time we see her."

"...L-Leo?" She replied, voice cracking. "What do you mean? Corrin is...she's...she's gone, brother."

"I refuse to believe it."

"But, you heard Xander. They saw-"

"They saw a tattered old ribbon caught in the planks of an even older bridge, and that's _all_ they saw. I'm not going to believe she's dead until I see it with my own eyes."

"But, but- where else could she have gone?! And Gunter, and Hans-"

"The place was crawling with Hoshidan reinforcements. We could have easily missed one- a sky knight, perhaps?"

"But Gunter's horse tracks-"

"And perhaps he _did_ fall off the bridge in attempting to protect her."

"Leo, I-"

"That bird she rescued," he said, taking her little stuffed animal into his hands. "All the attendants in the fortress talked about it for weeks, didn't they? You and I both heard them. They said that Corrin was naive for taking in a creature that was as good as dead."

Elise nodded, deeply confused.

"And it was- it would have been, had she given up on it. But she didn't- she held out hope until the very end, despite it being an utterly illogical thing to do. She believed she could change its fate, no matter how impossible the task seemed. I'm going to follow her example, Elise. I'm going to believe that, just this once, we can get a second chance, too."

She stared at him with wide eyes. Who was this man, and what had he done with her brother?! Had he completely lost it? A sense of guilt slowly seeped in. Her brother was usually logical and calculating to a fault, but now, seeing him this deep in the clutches of denial...those nights spent mourning with Camilla should have included him, too. She didn't think he was taking the news as harshly as she and Camilla had, but after seeing him like this, she understood; he was grieving as horribly as they were, in an entirely different way. He had simply chosen to suffer alone.

He slowly removed the black mourning veil from her head, a drab accessory that didn't suit her in the slightest.

"Have faith, sister. Trust that we still may have some hope yet."

"...Leo, I think...you might be in denial. I didn't want to believe it either. But...Corrin's dead...and this is...it's all just...it's hopeless."

The floodgates burst then, her sore eyes reddening even more as she cried out.

"Maybe so. But if living in denial makes me a fool, then, for the first time in my life, a fool I will be."

The statement earned a small quivering smile from Elise, a strange sight amidst her tears.

"For the first time in your life?" She sniffled, voice quaking. "No way, you've always been a dummy."

"Are those fighting words I hear?" he smiled back at her.

"Well, you'd be too darn stupid to recognize them if they were, you big dumb brother!"

She gave a shaky laugh, the first one she'd had in days, and shoved a playful elbow into his ribs. What he was saying was so absurd, so crazy, so completely unlike him. She wanted to believe in his message, more than anything in the whole wide world, but wouldn't that just end up hurting her more in the end?

"How do you know?" She asked. "What makes you think she's still alive out there somewhere?"

He thought about it for a moment before sighing.

"It's just a sort of feeling I have. Nothing more, nothing less."

"A feeling," she repeated, musing on the word.

They shared a quiet moment, a comfortable silence. It felt peaceful. In contrast to Camilla's smothering and Xander's mollycoddling, this was a kind of peace that only Leo could bring. It reminded her of the last time that she'd felt this vulnerable, the night that her mother passed away, vying for Garon's favor to the bitter end. Leo had brought her a silent sense of support then as he did now, staying by her side for as long as she needed, and a little longer still. He hadn't wanted her to feel alone.

She smiled. He might have been a total nerd, and a grumpy pants, and real pain in the neck sometimes, but he was the best big brother she could have asked for (besides Xander, of course).

"I don't know if feeling that way is right," she slowly began. "But maybe, just for now, I'd like to feel that way, too-"

She was interrupted by a thunderous storm of high heels slamming against dark tile, the clatter growing louder and louder as it approached them with frightening speed. In a matter of seconds, Camilla had appeared, whipping around the corner and running down the hallway with a breakneck-pace. She ripped the dark veil from her face and threw it behind her, tossing it aside like a discarded piece of trash.

"Camilla, where are you going?" Leo called after her. "What's going on?!"

His sister did not stop to explain. Luckily, she didn't have to, as Xander was coming up quickly behind her.

"Leo, Elise, go and get your armor on, and do not delay. Corrin's been spotted at the Hoshidan border. _She's alive._ "

And with those words, the greatest burden that had ever lay upon his shoulders was lifted, his chest filling with an enormous swell of hope. Like breaking the surface of the water, he could breathe again. With every hair standing on edge, a renewed energy crackling through his veins, and more joy filling his heart than ever before, he ran as fast as his legs could take him. His second chance had arrived.


	9. beautiful treasure

beautiful treasure

time: anytime after s-rank

The exhausting bedtime task of taming her wild hair was nearly complete.

It had put up a good fight, yes, with its many tangles and tufts, but she had conquered it all the same. She ran the pewter brush through her locks with ease, enjoying it while it lasted; by tomorrow evening, it would no doubt return to its disorderly state. In the reflection of the vanity's mirror, she could see her the image of her husband behind her. He was sitting up in their bed, leafing through a book with an expression of disgust on his face.

"Listen to this," he scoffed. " _The modern male, it would seem, is an invariably distracted creature. You must take special care in capturing his interest: simply remaining as you are will not do.'"_

"You're not still reading that thing, are you?" Corrin replied. "More importantly, did you ever figure out who gave it to Elise?"

"No, but when I found out who did, I'm going to give them a piece of my mind. I mean, really, why would anyone think this was appropriate reading material- _especially_ for a princess, no less? It's insulting at best and designed for catastrophic outcomes at worst."

The book in his hands was tattered and old. The letters on its maroon cover were fading away, but enough remained legible for one to read its title: _How to Make Him Fall For You in a Fortnight._

 _"'Learn your place,'"_ he quoted, _""A lady must understand that her voice should never be louder than her subtle ensemble, and her opinion should be quieter still.'"_

Corrin couldn't help but grin at the absolute vitriol which with he quoted the words. She shared his irritation in the fact that their darling sister had been gifted with a book chock-full of such horrible advice, but his offended, outraged state was just too cute.

"Trash," he scoffed. "Supremely ill-advised drivel."

"Oh, I don't know," Corrin teased, making another pass through her hair with the brush. " _'How to Make Him Fall For You in a Fortnight'_ did wonders for me.

He hadn't expected her to say that. He looked up from the book, startled.

"What?"

"Mmhmm," she gave a nod. "I don't think I would even be here with you right now if it weren't for the author's _brilliant_ strategy in all things love!"

"You're joking."

"I made it through that thing cover-to-cover, like, twelve times. Tip #389 was an absolute lifesaver when it came to winning you over."

"Tip #389?" Leo quickly flipped through the pages. Corrin's teasing had ignited his curiosity. "Ah, here we go. I found it. ' _A lady's bosoms are her most important asset. Coquettishly present them, modestly covered yet showing the cheekiest bit of prominence, in order to gain the attentions of-'"_

"W-Wait, what?! Stop, _stop!_ I had no idea there was a _REAL_ Tip #389! I completely made that up just now!"

The devilish grin on his face proved that she had lost the upper hand; it was his turn to tease now.

"Oh really, Corrin? Are you positive about that? Because after reading Tip #410 on the next page, I'm not so sure."

"No, no! Don't read it! Whatever it is, I don't even want to know-"

 _"'You must boost his ego at any cost! Feign ignorance when he can offer a well-informed explanation,'"_ he quoted, drawing in a mocking gasp. "All those times you asked me to tutor you in military strategy…were you only looking for an excuse to stroke my ego?"

"Hey, I was serious about that! I was very interested in that material!"

And she truly had been. When it came to brushing up on your tactical smarts, there was no better teacher than Leo. She'd learned heaps at a breakneck speed, and her efforts had proven fruitful with great improvements on the battlefield. However, she couldn't deny that Leo's vast knowledge of all things warfare was far from the only reason she'd asked him for help. All that time alone together, with his complete, undivided attention intensely focused on her...it had been heavenly. A rosy glow dusted her cheeks at the fond memory.

"...Well, okay. If I'm being honest here, I can't deny that I was pretty interested in my instructor, too."

He laughed, pleased with her bashful reaction. Closing the dusty old book, he set it aside on the night table and made his way over to her vanity.

"I can assure you, you were nowhere near as interested in the instructor as he was in his pupil."

He carded his calloused fingers through her soft, smoothed hair. As he did, the sweet scent of jasmine washed over him, the usual smell of her favorite shampoo. Her hair may have been subdued now, but by this time tomorrow evening, it would be back in the beautiful, untameable mess of mane he knew and loved. Gathering a section of it, he closed his eyes and pressed the silvery locks to his lips in a solemn, gentle kiss.

"Don't start this," Corrin's cheeks were growing rosier by the minute. "You know I'll win this game."

"What game?" He gave her a playful expression as he opened one of his eyes. "I don't have the slightest idea of what you're talking about."

"The _'who loves who more'_ game! I _always_ win."

His eyes traveled down to the vanity's countertop. Besides her brush and comb rested a familiar object, one that brought back a warm memory from long ago: her headband.

"Bold words, considering I have evidence right here that proves I'm the victor."

"Huh?"

He picked up the circlet from the vanity and gazed over it with awe.

"I'm kind of amazed you still have this," he said. The onyx band glinted beneath the lowlight of the treehouse lanterns. "After all these years."

"It's one of the most beautiful treasures I have," Corrin replied without even the slightest hint of insincerity in her voice. "I don't think I'll ever be able to describe to you how much it meant to me."

It had been so long ago now, like a far-off dream. She'd only been in his life for a short while when he'd gifted it to her; no more than a year. They were so young, barely on the cusp of adolescence. Leo remembered that night well- it was an uncomfortable one in his mind. It was his first official ball, a cotillion in Notre Sagesse. He wasn't yet used to dressing so formal, strutting around in an ill-fitting pair of formal breeches and a tight, gaudily-embellished waistcoat. He felt like an awkward fool on display, flaunting about like an overgrown peacock.

Corrin hadn't been allowed to attend the ball, of course. Naturally, his father wasn't going to let a technical war hostage parade around with the royal family in public- much to Leo and his siblings' dismay. They had stopped by at the Northern Fortress on the way back for a quick visit, still dolled up in their formal attire.

"All of you looked so prim and regal that night you came to visit me," Corrin reminisced along with him. "It was the first time I'd ever seen you all dressed up like…well, like royalty. I mean, poor little Elise's gown was so big, I honestly didn't think she'd be able to make it through the doorway!"

"And they haven't gotten any smaller since," Leo sighed. "She has the weirdest proclivity for wanting to look like a bath loofah."

Corrin guffawed. "A very cute bath loofah!"

Her eyes suddenly gleaned wistful, recalling the pain of the night.

"I wanted so bad to be with all of you. I kept thinking, if I just trained a little harder, and studied a little bit longer, maybe I'd be less of a disgrace in Father's eyes. Maybe he'd let me come along for once."

She reclaimed the little headband from her husband's hands and met his eyes.

"But when you gave me this, I felt like none of that mattered anymore. I may not have been a worthy princess in Father's eyes, but I was in yours. You all treated me so kindly."

 _He had run back to Corrin's room that night as they were taking their leave, ushering the others to go ahead without him; he'd 'forgotten something,' and he'd only be a moment. He'd catch up with them._

 _"Here," he'd told her, placing the onyx circlet atop her head. "I don't want this."_

 _"What?! You can't just give me your headband!"_

 _"Why not?""_

 _"Because it's YOURS, Leo-"_

 _"So it's mine to give. It looks stupid on me anyways."_

 _It had been a complete and total fabricated lie; he was actually pretty fond of the little thing. It was perhaps the only part of his ceremonial attire that he actually liked; it reminded him of the sort of thing the dark mages in his Father's service wore. But that didn't matter now- he would easily find a replacement for it later._

 _The young Corrin touched her hands to the sides of it with reverence._

 _Leo still recalled the sudden way she'd grabbed him, squeezing him in a tight hug. He'd nearly jumped out of his skin with surprise; it was the first hug she'd ever given him._

 _"Thank you," she breathed._

 _The flustered young boy flailed out of the embrace and fled the scene, rejoining his mystified family._

"You deserved better than a second-hand headband," Leo sighed, recalling the memory. "But it was all I had to give you at the time."

"I wouldn't trade it for anything," she reaffirmed. "But I still wonder...why did you decide to give it to me in the first place? You never told me."

He sighed. "I suppose that, being the stubborn little idiot I was, I wanted to give you a peace offering of sorts. We both know I hadn't exactly been anywhere near as warm or welcoming as the others. I wanted to say sorry, but I wasn't sure how."

"Why, though?"

"Huh?"

"You said it was a peace offering," she gazed up at him with curious eyes. "But why did you decide to finally warm up to me then, of all times? What did I do to finally make you like me?"

"Haven't I told you before?" His facial expression softened, the smile on his face adoring and gentle. "You draw people in. You make them trust you. Out of all the magic I'm capable of, yours is the most rare and special of all. Honestly, I'm amazed I was able to hold out for as long as I did."

She smiled, a touch of bashfulness overcoming her as her eyes drifted to the floor.

"You're so sappy sometimes," she teased. "Having an inviting personality is hardly magic."

"Why can't you let your just let husband be sweet on you for once?" He playfully tussled her hair, fluffing up her silver locks and sending them flying.

"Oh, that does it!" She leapt to her feet, pushing him back until they both came tumbling down onto the bed. "I can't have you violating Tip #589," she smirked at the man beneath her as she pinned him down.

"Which would be?"

 _"If your suitor so dares to displace your tresses, both of your reputations shall surely become messes!"_

"Then I suggest you and I quickly get comfortable with living as social disgraces."

A yelp of surprise escaped her lips as he shifted beneath her, overpowering her and taking her position as he pinned her to the bed. She laughed, her hair messily splayed across the comforter and becoming more and more out of sorts by the second.

Leaning up, she pressed a kiss to his lips.

"For you? I'll gladly be a disgrace any day."


	10. endearing words

endearing words

time: anytime, pre-relationship

The leaves of the palm trees hanging overhead weren't doing enough to shield Leo from the summer sun's pelting rays. He was still a sweaty, miserable mess. Even from his shady retreat away from the shore, he could still hear Corrin's laughter in the distance. Her nonsensical banter with his elder brother was loud enough to carry across the ocean waves, much to his irritation.

"Xander!" She giggled, grasping at toy in the man's arms as she chased him around. "Come on, Xander, give me my beach ball back!"

 _"_ _Xander, Xander!"_ Leo repeated mockingly, fussing under his breath. Ugh. If his eyes could roll back any further, he was sure he'd be able to see his brains. Out of all the horrible beach vacations they'd taken, this one was easily shaping up to be the worst one, by far.

It was already irritating enough to watch his stupid older brother parade around scantily-clad in such tight swimwear, flaunting his tall, rippling muscular form and continued complete superiority in everything. But worse yet was watching the simply infirating way he interacted with Corrin. ' _Little princess_ ' this and ' _little princess'_ that. Seriously, how much more condescending could you get? There was no way she liked being called that...well, at the very least, Leo hoped she didn't.

He sighed. He knew he was being bitter. He should have been happier, especially considering this was Corrin's first time coming along on their annual Southern Islands retreat. But there was just something about the beach that made him downright sour. Maybe it was the sweltering heat, or the coarse sand, or the constant reminder that he was inferior to his braggart brother.

He would have to be content with laying low in the shadows today. He was no good at any of this standard beach fare; he'd be better off to just wait for it all to be over. Anything was better than embarrassing himself in front of his whole family... _especially_ in front of Corrin, who was looking like the very image of beauty itself in that blessed frilly white two-piece.

It just wasn't fair. Why did Xander have to be so darn _perfect?_ One look at his body and it was clear which brother had received best share of the gene pool. His brother looked radiant with his perfectly sun kissed skin, glowing beneath the light of the island sun, while Leo knew it was only a matter of time before he himself would be looking as burnt as the tomatoes he loved. Where Xander had taken after their father with his broad shoulders, chiseled abs, and towering height, Leo had inherited his mother's petite frame, softer and smaller. And Leo knew, no matter how much he trained, how much he practiced, he would always be second-rate to his older brother, and there was nothing that provoked him more.

"Up for some volleyball, little princess?" Xander asked, affectionately grabbing a very enthusiastic Corrin by the hand and dragging her along.

Okay, perhaps he was wrong. There _were_ a few things that provoked him more.

Meanwhile, by the shoreline, Corrin was having the time of her life on her very first beach vacation.

"Two on one, eh?" Camilla mused. "That's hardly fair for a volleyball match, don't you think?"

"Absolutely," Xander laughed. "But unfortunately, Elise would rather make flower leis on the sidelines and she cannot join your team. Hopefully you and Corrin will be able to manage it despite your _horrible_ disadvantage."

"Oh, that is IT! You're on!" Corrin taunted, spiking the ball and starting the match.

Their back-and-forth volley didn't last for long; it was Corrin's first time playing this game, and her inevitable clumsiness in trying to learn it whilst simultaneously playing with two seasoned experts caused the ball to go flying more times then they could count. Despite having to break to chase down the ball every couple of minutes, Xander still proved to be a formidable opponent, keeping pace with Camilla's powerful onslaught.

"You know, for being a novice, you're doing splendid," Camilla complimented, watching as Xander ran off in the opposite direction to chase down their ball.

"Thank you," Corrin replied, "But I know I'm no good in comparison to you guys."

Her eyes veered off to the far side, over by the treeline, where a certain someone sat scowling in the shade. She could have sworn he was staring back at her, but when their eyes met, he quickly diverted his attention elsewhere. Her cheery expression clouded over with concern.

"Oh, don't worry about him, darling. He does this every year. Sulking is his favorite summertime activity!"

It pained Corrin to see him refuse to take part in the fun. He didn't have to join in on the sports festivities if he didn't want to- Elise certainly wasn't, happily contenting herself with stringing hibiscus flowers into necklaces. She just wished he'd join them; his presence was greatly missed, and she couldn't understand why he despised the Southern Islands so much.

"Does he always hate it this much?"

"Hm," Camilla mused. "Well, no. I have to admit that this is the angstiest I've ever seen him in all of our years of coming here."

This only made Corrin's worries grow. She watched him from afar, desperately wishing to know what was going on inside his head. Did he have a horrible experience at the beach once or something? Perhaps being from the perpetually overcast Nohr made him averse to the sunshine, but that wasn't the case for any of his other siblings. Was there simply somewhere else he'd rather be?

The game soon resumed. Distracted by the thoughts of the younger prince, Corrin played a sloppy offense and an even sloppier defense, relying on Camilla to overcompensate for her poor game. Regardless, she had a blast. Sand frantically flew everywhere as she made a strong last-ditch effort to keep up.

"And that's game," Xander announced before too long. Corrin slumped to the ground, exhausted and panting for air.

"Darn it! Why are you so good at this?!"

He only chuckled in response, wiping a stray bead of sweat from his forehead.

"Are you up for a little one-on-one?" Camilla said. "Prepare yourself, brother. I refuse to lose again in front of Corrin on her very first beach outing."

"Oh! Oh! I call to play winner!" Elise called, happily assembling leis on the sidelines.

"Oh? Even Elise wants to try to best me?" Xander laughed. "I thought you weren't up for volleyball. What made you change your mind?"

"You can only make so many necklaces before it gets kinda boring," she shrugged. "And with one-on-one, the stakes are higher now! So, let the sibling tournament begin!"

 _All the siblings but one,_ Corrin thought, her eyes once again drifting back to the shade.

"Geez, it's a scorcher out here. I'm going to go find something to drink," Corrin said, standing to dust the sand off of her legs. "I'll be right back. Do you want anything, Elise?"

"Yeah! Bring me back some strawberry popsicles. Oh, but...a chocolate ice cream cone sounds great, too. Or maybe a hot dog with extra ketchup...Okay. How about two popsicles, three scoops of ice cream, and a hot dog? That's what I want!"

"I'll see what I can do," Corrin laughed, giving her a wave goodbye as turned.

The boardwalk was lined with colorful canopies and pastel bungalows, filled with vendors and shops galore. It wouldn't be hard to find a shop with some snacks, but with an order like Elise's, she would be needing an extra pair of hands to help her carry everything back. It was a good thing she happened to know the perfect person to help with that. She made her way over to the shade.

"Hey there," she greeted. "How's the shade?"

"Better than the sun, that's for certain."

"Would you mind braving it for a little while to help me carry some food? I wanted to go get a drink or two, but Elise wants one of everything off the menu."

Corrin extended a hand down to him, offering to help him up from his towel. He slid his hand in hers and stood, accepting the invitation, much to Corrin's pleasant surprise.

As they walked together, things were unusually silent. Corrin fidgeted with a lock of her hair. Leo felt...a little different today. Too quiet, and maybe a smidge too tense. She wondered desperately what was on his mind, but she decided against asking outright. She'd have to take a more diplomatic approach; directly prying probably wouldn't get her too far. He wasn't exactly one to easily talk about his feelings.

"Sooo...you and the others grew up taking annual vacations here?"

"Unfortunately. It's such a colossal waste of time. There's _nothing_ to do on this stupid island."

She bit back the urge to protest, to tell him about all the wonderful fun she was having, and how much fun he could have too, if only he'd join in. However, he was already in a distant sort of mood. That wouldn't be helpful in trying to understand how he was feeling.

She fiddled with the soft petals of the pink hibiscus flowers of Elise's lei. She struggled to stop stealing glances at him, trying to get a gauge on his state of mind, and she struggled even more to keep her glances on his face. Her gaze kept drifting, ashamed to admit that he was looking stunning in that summer wear…

 _Stop it, Corrin! We're trying to figure out why he's so irritable, not get an eyeful!_

"Well, where would you rather go on vacation?"

"Easy. Anywhere else! There's a phenomenal library archive up in Cheve that I could spend _weeks_ in. Or we could make another visit to Nestra- there's plenty we've never gotten to experience there. Better yet, we could enjoy the legendary hot springs in Izumo, since you all seem to have such an affinity for water."

Corrin grinned. "You're thinking about visiting a hot spring in the middle of _this_ island heat?"

"Don't get me started on the heat. The forsaken weather in this realm is one of the worst things about it."

"Hm. If the weather is just ONE of many bad things, in your opinion, then I'm curious. What's the number one worst thing about being here?"

She didn't expect him to have such a flustered reaction. He looked away, hiding his face.

"Does it matter? The sooner we leave this infernal place, the better."

"But isn't there anything you'd like to do while we're here?" Overhead, seagulls soared, scouting out the prospect of fair food below as they entered the boardwalk area. A few stray barks filled the air as a couple of dog walkers made their rounds. "I was kind of...well, honestly, I was hoping you and I would have gotten to spend a little more time together. There's a couple of unexplored tide pools that have our names on it!"

His eyes widened, but his expression quickly melded into an unreadable mask. His reply was quiet.

"I'd like that. But I hardly think you'll be able to get away from Xander and his insipid challenges and duels. You might as well just take him instead.. _.little princess_."

What a weird response. That was the last thing she had expected him to say! What had gotten into him? And why did he sound so sour in mocking Xander's personal pet name for her? What did Xander have to do with any of this at all?!

Despite being right next to her, he felt worlds away as he sported that unusually acidic attitude. She opened her mouth, once, twice, unable to find the words to his strange reply. Before she could answer him, she felt a tug on her arm.

"Hello, hello, cherished customers!" A lady with a bright red ponytail greeted them with a big smile. She frantically gestured into the little store behind her with great zeal. "Why don't you come have a visit in the Anna Family's Seaside Shack? We have a wide variety of beach amenities!"

The vendor was forceful, dragging her into the shop with Leo in tow.

Corrin looked around the humble store. It was charming in a touristy way; the shelves were lined with lots of knick-knacks and souvenirs, each more peculiar than the last. Rows and rows of colorful items beckoned for her eye's attention. However, there wasn't much in the way of snacks. It seemed she'd have to fill her sister's food order somewhere else. However, an ice-filled bucket held the one thing she had originally been looking for: a cold drink! Her throat was parched. She'd been dying for something to drink.

The bin of ice was host to a curious collection of flasks, the likes of which Corrin had never seen before. Each bottle contained a different colored liquid, all glowing vibrantly.

"Oh, you must have a knack for spotting our specials," Anna piped up. "Those are imports! A special drink set from a far away land. The vendor I bought them from claims that those drinks have magical properties."

Corrin turned the bottle over in her hands and glanced at the label. In bold script, it read "THARJA'S ORIGINAL BREW. SPECIAL WISH-GRANTING FLAVOR!"

"Wish-granting flavor?!" she remarked with great surprise. Beside her, Leo scoffed.

"They've been a rather popular item today," the shopkeeper continued. "I haven't tried any of them myself, but they do look rather tasty."

"I'll take one!" Corrin placed the glass bottle on the counter. "Wait, maybe two- Leo, do you want-"

"No, thank you. I'll pass on the, ahem, 'magical wish-granting drinks.'"

"Suit yourself," Corrin shrugged, finishing her purchase.

They exited the shop, continuing further down the boardwalk in search of the rest of their list. Corrin eyed the drink with nervous anticipation.

"Didn't you say you were parched?"

"Yes, but I have to think of a good wish first."

"You _know_ that's simply a fairytale drummed up by an entrepreneur designed to sell more bottles."

"Well, maybe. But I'm still going to have a wish ready just in case. It might come true, after all."

"You're too naive, Corrin," he sighed. "It's just a cheap marketing tactic."

"Oh yeah? Why don't _you_ take the first sip then?" She tipped the bottle toward him and continued in a goofy, mocking voice. _"_ _A free wish for the grumpy unbeliever!"_

"Fine," he took the bottle from her hands and popped the top. "But only because it's hot as blazes out and I'm a little thirsty, too."

He took a gulp, pleasantly surprised at the flavor. It was fizzy and sweet, but nothing like what he was accustomed to. Despite being cold, it left a warm buzz rushing through his head. In fact, the rush was not only in his head, but was rapidly spreading through his whole body, coursing through his core. His vision blurred. The world was spinning. Had this all been a ruse? Some kind of an assassination attempt? He clutched his head. If it was, he was thankful to have taken the first drink. If he was going to die, at least he'd been able to save Corrin's life.

"Leo?!" Corrin's hands were on his shoulders. "Leo, what's going on?! Hello?! Can you hear me?! Leo-"

She jumped back at the sound of a loud _POP!_

The noise was accompanied by a powerful gust of thick, light-blue smoke, the same color as the strange glowing liquid from inside the bottle. Corrin couldn't see a thing through the fog- but as it slowly dissipated, she was left even more confused. She rubbed her eyes.

Out of the last of the smoke rolled the drink bottle, now completely empty as its contents spilled out and ran through the wooden planks of the boardwalk and dripped into the ocean.

Leo was gone. No, not gone, but smaller- a _lot_ smaller. Like, "a little shorter than mid-calf height" smaller. And a whole lot furrier.

Where the prince once stood, a cat now remained. His fur was straw-blond, adorned with a tiny black headband around his little ears. Around his fluffy neck was a small purple collar, the leather turned inside out. His wine-colored eyes reflected deep panic.

The youngest prince of Nohr had been transformed into a cat.

His eyes grew wide as he examined his new form. He held a curious pink paw before his face, growing more horrified by the second. As the realization of what had happened sank in, he let out a distressed yowl, his fur prickling and standing on end. Corrin, on the other hand, was breathlessly delighted. She clasped her hands over her mouth.

"Leo...you're...you're... _you're so cute!_ "

He hissed in response, barring two sharp fangs. Corrin dropped to her knees, unable to resist the urge to give his forehead an affectionate pet.

"I just can't believe you wished to be a cat! I mean, I never even knew you had an interest in transmutation to begin with."

Even as a cat, Corrin could recognize his signature glare. He opened his mouth to give a deeply dissatisfied reply, but found his new tongue was much too long and floppy to be able to enunciate anything. The only sound he could manage was a loud mew, which only made Corrin coo and croon over him even more.

It was then that Leo nearly jumped out of his skin- no, _fur-_ at the sound of frenzied barking. Fast-approaching paws were pounding against the boardwalk. The pooches of the dog walkers strolling by had taken notice of his new form.

"Uh oh," Corrin's face paled. "That's not good! That is not good at all. Come on!"

She scooped him up and cradled him closely to her chest, snagging the now-empty potion bottle along with him. As fast as her bare feet could take her, she ran in the opposite direction, canine pursuants trailing closely behind, who in turn were being chased by their very distraught, tired owners. She dashed out of the boardwalk area and towards a quieter, less inhabited area of the beach- hopefully away from any other dog walkers. She clutched Leo tightly, refusing to slow her pace until they were completely out of sight of the dogs.

Panting and out of breath, she set him down onto the soft white sand and collapsed.

"Are...you...okay?" She gasped between breaths.

 _As okay as one can be after being transformed into a mangy fleabag,_ he thought. He plopped down next to her. His little heart was still pounding.

How had this happened?! He hadn't made any wish at all when he'd taken a sip of that cursed potion- and he certainly had no desire to be a cat, of all things!

Finally catching her breath, Corrin gazed at him. Her face was distraught as she searched for some deeper level of understanding.

"Something tells me that you _didn't_ wish for any of this, right?"

He shook his lowered head in a nonvocal _'_ _no.'_

She sighed and pushed her damp bangs back with tired fingers.

"Don't worry, Leo. This is all my fault. I'll get you back to normal, I promise."

She gave him an absent minded scratch behind his ears, stroking his forehead and petting his soft, whiskery chin. When she released what she was doing, she quickly yanked her hand away.

"Sorry," she smiled sheepishly. "I know being stuck as a little cat must be really uncomfortable for you. It's just...gah, it's so hard not to! _You're so darn cute!"_

He was expressly thankful that felines couldn't blush, lest Corrin see how deeply embarrassed he was. Sure, this situation was undeniably horrible, and maybe all the fawning and baby talking was a _little_ bit annoying, but when it came to all of her love and attention...well, he certainly couldn't say he hated it.

"Oh, hold on," she unclasped the purple and black band around his neck. "Your collar's inside out. I guess some things never change, do they?"

He let out a frustrated puff as she snickered.

She dusted the sand from her legs as she stood, taking the bottle in one hand and wrapping him in her arms.

"Let's head back to Anna's shop and get to the bottom of this. There's gotta be another drink or something to get you back to normal. Maybe I can just get another bottle and wish for you to be human again."

Unfortunately, however, Corrin was wrong. When they returned to the store, Anna only had bad news waiting for them.

"Sorry, we just sold out of the last bottle of that special wish-granting flavor. I hear it has a nice ocean fruit taste! Unfortunately, all of the other flavors are gone, too. Oh, but we do have one bottle left of this _'_ _Magic Makeover'_ flavor. It says it'll just turn your hair green. Is that something you're interested in?"

"Do you know how to reverse the effects of our drink? I just need to get him back into his human form."

"Nope! Like I told you before, I picked these up from a traveler from far, far away. She was kind of a shady character, to be honest, but man, we've made bank today. Her drinks have been selling like hotcakes!"

"Well, do you know when you'll get any more of the wish-granting bottles back in stock? Leo and I will pay any price need be-"

"Leo?" Anna snickered. Her pursed lips were holding back a laugh. "That's the little guy's name?"

Leo hissed while Corrin gave a confused reply. "Yes, why?"

"He's Leo the _lion_! Get it? Like the constellation?! Oh, that's too great!" She wiped a stray tear from her eyes as she finished cracking up. "Anyway, no idea when or if we'll ever get anymore in stock. Like I said, this was kind of a one-time only promotion."

Before Leo had a chance to spring from her grasp and claw at the worker's face, Corrin exited the shop. His spirits sunk low as she sat them down on the set of steps leading back to the shore. What were they to do now? Were they sure this wasn't some kind of politically motivated plot against the royal family? Perhaps the Hoshidans were at it again. This was definitely humiliating enough to qualify as an attack.

Thanks to his newly heightened sense of hearing, he could hear Corrin's heartbeat suddenly start to pound. It steadily gained speed. He quickly looked up to check on her, and grew even more worried when he saw her cheeks were dusted with rosy color. Had he somehow managed to spread the curse to her, too?

"I think...I think I can, uh, break the spell."

 _Huh?_

She coughed and averted her vision. "I don't know a lot about magic, but I've read a lot of stories about um, faraway spells and such. This kind of counts, so….I know a way to fix this. But...you're probably really going to hate this, so p-please forgive me in advance."

 _Really hate what? What is she trying to-_

She grabbed him, and held him close. She closed her lids and leaned forward, pearly pink lips puckered and moving in fast.

No. This could not be happening. How many countless times had he fantasized about this moment? In all the dreams he'd had of sharing their first kiss, not even once could he have imagined that he'd be stuck as a dumb, stupid cat. This was surely proof that he had committed some heinous crime against all karma somewhere along the way, because fate was sorely mocking him now. And, wait just a second, did Corrin seriously say she thought he'd _hate_ the idea of her kissing him? _Oh, you poor, sweet, clueless little-_

Her small, chaste kiss to his fluffy white muzzle was immediately met with a round of giggles.

"S-Sorry," she laughed. "Your...your whiskers twitched...and it tickles!"

Her face fell when she saw her kiss had no affect on his appearance.

"You were right, Leo. I guess I _am_ too naive. That only works in the fairytales. Well, there goes that idea."

She slumped down in defeat, oblivious of the frenzy she had set off in his mind. Faraway spells, fairytales...he pieced it together. Had she just tried to fix this with a 'true love's kiss?' Did Corrin…no, surely not...had she inadvertently implied that she was harboring _true love_ for him!? He opened his mouth in a desperate plea, but only a meow came out. He once again angrily cursed this wretched form, and the drink, and whoever crafted this horrible spell in the first place was.

Corrin was turning the empty bottle over in her palms, examining every last detail of the label.

"Leo, listen to this," she read aloud. "' _If you sip from this elixir and no wish do you make, more and more difficult will the spell be to break. For a deeper level of desire unbeknownst to you will become the wish that will then become true'…._ Ugh! Why do magicians always have to rhyme these weirdly vague magical escape clause segments?!"

She sat the bottle down next to him, looking towards the setting sun with dread.

"Anyway, I guess that's probably what happened to you. But you seem like you really didn't want to be a cat at all, so what could this 'deeper desire' could possibly be about?"

He himself didn't know. Like anyone else, he had a slew of hidden desires, wants, and needs, but being turned into a mewling kitten certainly wasn't one of them. Perhaps the potion they'd bought was a dud.

"I'm so sorry I got you into this," she sighed, her sad eyes downcast. "I feel horrible. I should have never offered you that drink to begin with."

Her expression was so full of regret that Leo worried tears would soon pour over. He placed a reassuring paw on her leg, hoping to convey that it was alright. He didn't blame her in the slightest. After all, he was the one that had assured her it was all a ruse and there was no such thing as a 'wishing drink.'

"If you didn't want to be an animal, then I have no idea what this wish could have meant. Oh, I wish I would have been the one to take that first sip! If I had, you would have had everything sorted out by now!"

She sniffled, the first tear spilling over. He let out a concerned mew in response, but it did nothing to quell her pain. What if he was stuck like this forever? Maybe she'd single handedly ruined his life with her own childish naivety. Such transmutational magic was so foreign to Nohr. She'd never seen anything like it before. Maybe she'd have to travel the world in search of someone who understood how to break the spell. Was there such a thing as a felinestone? With the help of her dragonstone, she could change forms at will, but she doubted this was the same sort of situation. After all, she'd been born with that ability. He had received this cursed power as part of an underlying wish.

 _Think, Corrin, think._ She recalled something Leo had told her once during their studies: _for every magical action, there is an equal or opposite reaction._ The bottle had even confirmed it- there WAS a way to break the spell, if it had gone out of its way to mention that breaking it would be difficult in the first place. She thought hard. If Leo's subconscious feelings had caused this, then she needed to make it so those subconscious feelings were opposite. Then maybe the spell's effect would reverse back to his original body.

But what was the wish? She didn't have the slightest idea. He had been feeling so grumpy all day, and he vehemently did not want to be at the Southern Islands. Did that have something to do with it? Camilla said he was never a beach fan, but out of all their trips, this was the most distressed she'd ever seen him. _Why?_ What was making him feel that way?

 _Turning into a cat, turning into a cat…_ What did he want? Better hearing? Better hair? _(No, his hair was already perfectly soft and fluffy, in her opinion)._ Better reflexes? Pointy teeth? A cute little nose? _(Nope, he already had that, too.)_ Sharp claws? Weird eye boogers lodged in his corneas after taking a nap? Ugh, were any of these things good enough to make him want to have a different body-

 _A different body?_

Another piece of study wisdom he'd once given her: _don't miss the forest for the trees._ Perhaps she was dwelling too much on the details of the cat part and missing the bigger picture. Did Leo want a different body? She couldn't fathom why. In her opinion, he was already absolutely perfect as he was. The whole idea of him being dissatisfied with his body in anyway was laughable for her. In Corrin's eyes, there was no one stronger, smarter, or more handsome than he was, but it was possible he didn't feel that way about himself. She recalled a conversation she'd once overhead between he and Xander in the barracks.

 _"_ _Even back then, you excelled at everything you tried. Fighting, horsemanship, elocution, swimming... The list goes on. You were unstoppable. Not me, though. I had to work so hard at everything. I was so envious of you."_

 _Xander had been silent at Leo's outburst. The younger brother continued his lament._

 _"_ _At first we all practiced swordsmanship, magic, and hand-to-hand combat together. But eventually you took to the sword while I devoted myself to magic. A large part of the reason I chose magic... was because you didn't. I knew if I walked the same path as you, I would always be in your shadow. The joke's on me, though. Your shadow is too grand to escape, I'm afraid."_

It was such an asinine conversation. It was bizarre to Corrin when she'd first overheard it, and it was bizarre to recall it now. Xander was undeniably amazing, but in so many ways, Leo had far surpassed his brother's shadow. She was endlessly impressed with his ever-growing knowledge of so many things, and his generous nature was always willing and eager to help her out with her studies. He possessed such a unique strength; calculating, powerful, yet refined. To Corrin, there was no one more elegant, composed, and impressive than Leo.

But maybe Leo didn't see it that way.

 _"_ _I hardly think you'll be able to get away from Xander and his insipid challenges and duels. You might as well just take him instead."_

Could it be that he was feeling inferior?

Her heart felt so heavy, thinking of the burden he must be carrying. She wished he could see himself through her eyes, the way that she viewed him; if there was a magic trick in the world that would allow it, she could guarantee he'd never again feel inferior a day in his life. Unfortunately, however, she didn't have a magic mirror or a secret trick, and the day was quickly coming to a close. But maybe she didn't need magic to reverse this spell. All she needed was a little courage. With a hard swallow and the wringing of her hands, she began.

"Leo," she said, causing him to look up at her. "Do you know how excited I was when I found out we were taking this vacation together?"

He tilted his head to the side. He didn't know where she was going with this yet- _good._ She needed all the courage she could muster to keep going.

"I was so, so happy. When I said I wanted to spend time with you, I really meant it. And when I asked you to go searching the tide pools with me, you told me to just take Xander along instead, and I never got to reply to that. Well, here's my reply: I asked _you_ because I wanted to go with _you._ Not Xander or Elise or Camilla- I've already gotten to spend heaps of time with them already."

She resisted the strong urge to look away, opting to meet his gaze instead. She continued, determined to convey her message

"And, even if I _hadn't_ spent any time with the others, I'd still want to be with you. Is there really something so wrong about that? I don't care if it annoys you. You're...you're the best friend I have, okay? I _always_ have fun when I'm with you. Even when you lecture me!"

She rubbed at the tender back of her neck. How was he receiving her words? Was he uncomfortable? Happy? Irritated? She had no clue. His ruby eyes gazed up at her, completely still, fixated on what she was saying. In his cat form, he lacked the ability to give her any usual cues and reactions. Without them, she felt vulnerable and deeply embarrassed; if only she could see how he were feeling...maybe that would give her the confidence to continue. She'd just have to keep going in spite of it for his sake.

"And speaking of those lectures- you know, you might technically be a little younger than me, but _wow,_ do you know a lot. You have so much life experience and book knowledge and talent and you show no signs of ever slowing down. Is the word 'complacent' even in your vocabulary? I don't know if I'll ever meet another person that comes anywhere close to being as impressive as you are."

Good. That was good. She was headed in the right direction, but she doubted that would be enough. If she wanted to see if her theory was correct and get him back to normal, she'd need to keep going.

"I mean, it's not just your brain that's impressive to me either," she finally broke eye contact with him, voice catching in her throat. "I feel the same way about your...um, p-physical abilities, too."

Oh, Naga strike her down and end this! This was so, _so_ embarrassing. If this didn't work, she might really end up switching sides in this war and setting up residence in Hoshido out of the sheer embarrassment of it all. _Gah!_

"You can...you're, uh...you're great with a sword! Magic might be your forte, but you certainly know how to get around with a b-blade. I mean, watching you out on the battlefield, swinging enemies around, left and right- it's pretty sick. Like, in a good way."

 _"_ _It's pretty sick?"_ Ugh, no, that wasn't right. What was she saying? Her nerves were getting the better of her. But what else was to be expected? She was going to look like some creepy pervert otherwise, and that was the last thing she wanted.

It might have been her own imagination, but even in his cat form, he seemed to look a little...disappointed? His fuzzy features fell, big eyes drifting down to the sand.

No. Looking like a creep wasn't the last thing she wanted- really, the last thing she wanted was for her best friend to stay as a cat the rest of his life because she was too cowardly to tell him the truth. She swallowed hard.

"...Actually, while all that _is_ true...it's not what I was going to say. I guess I just didn't want you to think of me as some kind of big weirdo, but I think I'm already a goner there. I guess what I was going to say is that, in my eyes, you're perfect just as you are. I know you don't always think so, but I really mean it when I say that I wouldn't have you any other way."

Riding on a sudden wave of boldness, she proceeded, her eyes spilling over with warm adoration.

"And yes, you don't look like Xander. But why would anyone want you? You're _you_. And...I think you're so beautiful in your own way, Leo."

His eyes stretched wide. She didn't feel quite so flustered now after getting that out of her system. She smiled, her expression soft.

"Dashingly handsome, even," she gave him a playful wink. "So, please don't think you ever need to be anything other than yourself, okay?"

A burst of sparkling blue smoke engulfed the tiny cat, concealing him completely. When it dispersed, all that remained was one very, _very_ bewildered, swimsuit-clad prince resting on his knees. From the tips of his ears to the base of his neck (and everything in between), he was burning a scarlet shade so furious that it would cause one to wonder if there was a drop of blood left anywhere else in his body.

"You're back to normal!" she cheered, rising to her feet. "Oh, I'm so glad! I was worried that you were going to be stuck as a cat forever for a while there...uh….Leo?"

Oh no- had reversing the spell given him some sort of dangerous side effects?! He was completely unresponsive as his wide-eyed gaze was fixed nowhere in particular. The blazing heat in his cheeks showed no sign of calming down, and the fists resting atop his thighs were clenched so tightly that the knuckles turning a pallid white. She'd never seen him look so ridiculously flustered in her entire life.

"Oh, Corrin darling! There you are. And Leo, dear, why are you on the ground?"

On the boardwalk above them, Camilla and Elise passed by.

"Leo, are you okay?!" Elise called out, her ponytails an usually verdant shade. "Hmm..You don't look okay. You kinda look like you're gonna pass out!"

"Elise," Corrin interrupted. "Why is your hair neon green?!"

"Oh, that," Camilla laughed. "We were just on our way back to this quaint little seaside shop we found earlier. Elise got tired of waiting for you two to come back with snacks, so we set off on our own. She bought this peculiar magic drink- some kind of "Tropical Kiwi Flavor" that turns your hair green. It seems it worked a little too well."

"I don't know why we have to go back there," Elise pouted. "I think it looks like nice like this!"

"I hope you kept the bottle, then," Corrin sighed. "You're going to need the label. That's some pretty powerful magic."

"Hm? You're familiar with it?"

"Unfortunately," she sighed. She turned to the prince still planted firmly in the sand. He had yet to say a single word, the same strange expression remained plastered on his face.

"Come on," she said, reaching for his arm and pulling him up to his feet. "You're going to need to come along. I think that potion messed with your head."

He stammered something in response, the words _'_ _I'm fine'_ coming out instead as a muttered mess of guttural noise.

The four strolled along the oceanside beneath the setting rays of the island sun. Unbeknownst to Corrin, the prince's strange behavior was not a consequence of what the spell had done to his head, but rather, what she herself had done to his heart. The endearing words that had broken one spell had only ensnared him into another, one of a much more powerful and ancient magic that could not be cured: love.


End file.
